UPDATE: Two men appear in Liverpool court charged in connection with murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel

Two men have appeared in Liverpool Magistrates Court charged in connection with the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

UPDATE: Monday, October 3 at 9:30pm

Two men appeared in Liverpool Magistrates Court this morning, Monday, October 3. Thomas Cashman, aged 34, a resident of the West Derby area of Liverpool, stands charged with the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel. Two other counts of possessing a firearm to endanger life have also been filed against him.

Cashman was scheduled to reappear at 2pm in Liverpool Crown Court where he will be considered for bail.

A second man – also from West Derby – 40-year-old Paul Russell, faced a single count of assisting an offender. He is charged with disposing of clothing used by Cashman, and of driving him in a vehicle. Russell’s lawyer informed the court that he will not be applying for bail. He will now appear at a pre-trial hearing on October 31 in Liverpool Crown Court.

Olivia’s mother Cheryl sat in the court watching the proceedings, alongside her daughter’s father, John Francis, as reported by mirror.co.uk.

Saturday, October 1 at 8:36pm

A 34-year-old man has this evening, Saturday, October 1, been charged with the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel. Identified as Thomas Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, he stands accused of the murder that occurred in Dovecot, Liverpool, last August.

Merseyside Police announced this news in a statement, adding that Cashman has also been charged with the attempted murder of Olivia’s mother, Cheryl Korbel. Another 40-year-old male, Paul Russell, has been charged with assisting an offender. Both men will appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Monday, 3 October 2022.

https://twitter.com/MerseyPolice/status/1576272472483287044?s=20&t=WHxMlp6uUr5geYDzvkyuQw

The murder incident happened at around 10pm on August 22. A man burst into Ms Korbel’s home in the Knotty Ash district of Liverpool while chasing Joseph Nee, a convicted burglar and drug dealer. As she attempted to close her front door, the man fired a shot which hit Ms Korbel’s wrist before striking her daughter Olivia, who was standing behind her.

Olivia was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where she tragically passed away as a result of the gunshot wound. It later came to light that neither the target nor the gunman had any links to Ms Korbel or Olivia. Joseph Nee remains hospitalised and Merseyside police confirmed that Cashman has also been charged with his attempted murder.

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