Thomas Cashman: Olivia's killer in fresh bid to fight jail sentence

The gunman who shot dead nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel has renewed an application to appeal against his sentence.

The schoolgirl was shot after Thomas Cashman, 34, chased a fellow drug dealer into her home in Liverpool in August 2022.

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 42 years for her murder.

Cashman has renewed his application to appeal after a previous bid was rejected.

A hearing has been fixed for 15 November at the Court of Appeal in London, where his first attempted was turned down in July.

The court previously confirmed Cashman's legal team planned to argue his sentence was too harsh and he should serve less time before parole.

A separate application to refer Cashman's sentence to the court under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme has also previously been thrown out.

His trial heard how Cashman "lay in wait" with two guns to attack Joseph Nee, 36, on the evening of 22 August in the Dovecot, area of the city.

Fleeing the gunfire, Nee ran towards the open door of Olivia's home after her mother Cheryl Korbel went out to see what the noise was.

Cashman continued shooting and a bullet went through the door and Ms Korbel's hand, before hitting Olivia in the chest.

He was branded a "coward" for refusing to come into court for his sentencing.

His case, along with other high-profile offenders refusing to enter the dock, prompted moves toward a change in the law.

The Ministry of Justice said judges would be able to order an offender to attend a sentencing hearing and make it "clear in law" that reasonable force can be used by custody officers to make sure this happens.

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