Thomas Cashman: Jury considers Olivia murder trial verdict

A jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of a man accused of murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

Thomas Cashman is accused of shooting the nine-year-old girl and injuring her mother Cheryl Korbel, 46, after chasing a man into their Liverpool home at about 22:00 BST on 22 August.

The 34-year-old, who is on trial at Manchester Crown Court, has denied being the gunman.

He has pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder, and other offences.

The jury was sent out to consider its verdicts shortly before midday, three-and-a-half weeks after the trial began.

The prosecution allege the defendant shot convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee in the street, before his victim fled into Ms Korbel's home as she tried to block him from entering her house in the Dovecot area of the city.

Jurors were told Mr Cashman fired again, with the bullet travelling through Ms Korbel's hand before hitting and killing Olivia, who was standing behind her.

The court has heard Mr Cashman was a "high-level" cannabis dealer in the area, but he denied "scoping out" Mr Nee on the day of the killing.

He told the jury that at the time of the shooting he was at a friend's house counting £10,000 in cash and smoking a spliff.

A woman who he had a fling with told the court he came to her house after the shooting and changed his clothes, before she heard him say he had "done Joey".

But Mr Cashman said the witness was lying because she was a "woman scorned".

During his closing arguments, his barrister said Mr Cashman was "probably one of the most hated people in the country" but he was not guilty.

Mr Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, has denied the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Mr Nee, wounding Ms Korbel with intent, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

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