Olivia Pratt-Korbel gunman garden-hopped after shooting, court hears

The gunman accused of murdering nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel "garden-hopped" as he fled the scene after the shooting, a court has heard.

Thomas Cashman, 34, is accused of carrying out the attack in Dovecot, Liverpool, which killed Olivia and injured her mother Cheryl Korbel, 46.

The jury at Manchester Crown Court was told a man alleged to be Mr Cashman was captured on CCTV cameras.

The court heard Mr Cashman denies being the gunman shown on the CCTV.

A gunman fired through the front door of the Korbel family home just after 22:00 BST on 22 August last year, after chasing Joseph Nee, who is said to be the intended target, through the street, the court heard.

The bullet hit Ms Korbel in the hand and fatally wounded Olivia in the chest.

On the third day of the trial, the jury heard Mr Cashman made a number of journeys earlier in the day past Finch Lane, where Mr Nee was watching football at a friend's house that evening.

The court heard a man alleged to be Mr Cashman walked along Finch Lane at about 21:20 BST, and then was not seen on cameras again for more than half an hour.

Police investigator Caleb Suggitt said: "The person alleged to be Thomas Cashman stood somewhere within the area, not seen, for 36 minutes, 56 seconds."

CCTV showed Mr Nee and friend Paul Abraham leaving the house on Finch Lane just before 22:00.

Mr Suggitt said: "The person alleged to be Thomas Cashman runs across Finch Lane onto Kingsheath Avenue after Joseph Nee and Paul Abraham."

Two loud bangs could be heard on CCTV footage which showed Mr Abraham running away from the gunman.

Mr Nee could be seen on the floor in front of the shooter before a third bang was heard.

The jury has been told Mr Nee then ran towards the Korbel family home and was chased by his attacker, who fired through the front door.

The court heard after the shooting, the gunman was next seen on Finch Lane at 22:02 when he ran between two houses through an entry.

Mr Suggitt said: "That person runs from Finch Lane onto Berryford Road and then we see that person on Standedge Way.

"We don't see that person return from Standedge Way, nor do we see them enter Berryford Road, therefore we know that person has garden-hopped from Standedge Way to Princess Drive.

At 22:06 the man, dressed in black with reflective markings on his trousers, walked across Princess Drive.

Mr Suggitt said he was not seen again after crossing the road.

Earlier, the jury was shown footage and maps of Mr Cashman's movements during the day, when he travelled around the Dovecot area in his Citroen Berlingo and on foot, passing Finch Lane on a number of occasions.

The court heard on Tuesday how Olivia screamed "Mum, I'm scared" seconds before she was shot dead.

Mr Cashman of Grenadier Drive, Liverpool, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Mr Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Olivia's mother, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The trial, expected to last about four weeks, will continue on Thursday.

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