Olivia Pratt-Korbel, age nine, was cruelly slain in her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22 when a gunman entered the residence while pursuing a convicted burglar. Her 46-year-old mother, Cheryl Korbel, was also wounded in the shooting.
Thomas Cashman, 34, of West Derby, is now on trial at the Manchester Crown Court for the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of the burglar being chased, the attempted murder of Ms. Korbel, and two counts of possessing a firearm with the purpose to endanger life.
The prosecution alleges that Mr. Cashman, armed with a handgun and revolver, “laid in wait for his intended target.” The study will likely last four weeks.
The town of Knotty Ash, West Derby, where Olivia and her family resided, has been profoundly affected by Olivia’s death. The catastrophe has left a lasting mark on the region and has been widely covered by local media.
The case has already generated a great deal of public attention, which is expected to continue throughout the long-awaited trial. BBC North West provides updates via their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages and encourages readers to submit article ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk for those following from afar.
Olivia Pratt-Korbel sadly lost her life on August 22 when a gunman pursuing a convicted burglar broke into her home in Dovecot, Liverpool. Now, Thomas Cashman, 34, is on trial at the Manchester Crown Court for the murder of Olivia and other other counts. The prosecution asserts that Mr. Cashman waited with a pistol and revolver for his intended target.
The case has already generated a great deal of public attention, which is expected to continue throughout the long-awaited trial. The tragedy has had a tremendous impact on the community of Knotty Ash, West Derby, where Olivia and her family resided, and has been extensively covered by local media.
BBC North West provides updates via their social media channels and asks readers to submit article ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk for those following from afar. The trial is likely to run around four weeks, and people impacted by the tragedy and those interested in the outcome are paying close attention.
