A self-confessed drug dealer has been convicted of the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel at her home in Liverpool last August.
Thomas Cashman, 34, was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Olivia’s mother and two charges of possession of firearms by a jury at Manchester Crown Court.
Olivia died after Cashman fired shots into the family’s home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on 22 August 2022, during what prosecutors described as a “ruthless pursuit” to execute another man.
Image: Olivia Pratt-Korbel
Image: Thomas Cashman
Her death sent a shockwave throughout the community and across the country and a sense of horror that gun violence could spill into a family home.
Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel, holding a teddy bear, sat with her children in the court. There were gasps and tears from Olivia’s family as the verdicts were returned.
Image: Cheryl Korbel (left), Olivia’s mother, holds a teddy bear outside Manchester Crown Court after Thomas Cashman was found guilty
The judge confirmed that sentencing will take place on Monday 3 April.
After the verdict, Merseyside’s chief constable Serena Kennedy described Cashman as a “coward”.
She said: “He’s despicable. He made great play in the trial that he’s a dad and yet he’s put Olivia’s family through this trial. I hope he reflects every morning when he wakes up behind bars and every night when he goes to sleep about what he’s put Olivia’s family through.”
Image: John Francis Pratt (left), the father of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, leaves Manchester Crown Court after Thomas Cashman was found guilty of her murder
Paul Russell, 41, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender at Liverpool Crown Court last October. The media were prevented from reporting his plea until the conclusion of Cashman’s trial.
He is also said to have disposed of a bag given to him by Cashman, which he believed to contain clothing.
At 7pm Sky News will broadcast a special programme: The murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel
‘Murder in mind’
In Cashman’s trial, the jury was told he had spent the day of Olivia’s killing “scoping out” his intended target, a convicted burglar called Joseph Nee. The prosecution said he had “murder in mind”.
The jury was shown security camera footage of the moment Cashman fired multiple shots at Nee in the street outside of Olivia’s home.
Image: CCTV images of the night have been released by Merseyside Police
Image: CCTV footage of Cashman on Rothbury Road, Liverpool, walking to Finch Lane on the afternoon of 22 August
After hearing the disturbance, her mother Ms Korbel had opened the front door and Nee took the opportunity to force his way inside to escape the gunman.
The court heard that Olivia had come down the stairs saying: “Mummy, I’m scared”.
The gunman continued firing into the family home, with one bullet striking Ms Korbel in the hand before hitting Olivia in the chest. She was pronounced dead in hospital.
Image: The bullet hole in Olivia’s door
Detective Superintendent Mark Baker, the senior investigating officer in the case, told Sky News: “The circumstances around it were just abhorrent. She was cowering behind her mum because she was scared in her own home.
“You always feel you’re safe in your own house. I think, as an investigation team, we could not believe that the gunman would continue to shoot into the house. I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like that before.
“The community have been disgusted by his actions. They’ve been in fear of him for a long, long time. He will know himself and will have to carry that responsibility.”
The jury was also shown a video of the police interview with Ms Korbel in which she recounted what happened that night and described the moment she knew Olivia “had gone”.
Image: Olivia’s mother, Cheryl Korbel
A key witness in the trial, a woman with whom Cashman had had a sexual relationship, told the jury that she was woken by him in her bedroom shortly after the shooting asking for a change of clothes. She said she also heard him say he had “done Joey”.
Police praised the bravery of the witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, for her “powerful and emotional” evidence.
Image: The moment Cashman was arrested
‘I’m a dad, I’m not a killer’
Cashman had denied he was the gunman that night and told police “you’ve got an innocent man” when he was arrested a month later.
Giving evidence to the jury, he said he had been going about his business as a drug dealer at the time of the shooting. “I’m a dad, I’m not a killer,” he told the jury.
Image: Cables from a missing CCTV recorder found by police at Cashman’s home
The two firearms used by the gunman on the night in August last year have not been recovered and the investigation into Olivia’s death continues.
Police have vowed to continue to remove guns and drugs from the street. “Olivia’s death should not have been in vain,” said Det Supt Baker.
Image: Thomas Cashman
Maria Corr, a senior crown prosecutor with the CPS Mersey-Cheshire complex casework unit, told Sky News: “We’re only a small wheel in the cog here, nothing will bring Olivia back, this is just for the family, some sense of justice, the person who ruined their lives, we’ve now got justice for them.”
At the time of her death, Olivia’s family described her as “unique, chatty, nosey little girl who broke the mould when she was born”. They added: “She loved life and all it had to offer.
“Although her life was short, her personality certainly wasn’t and she lived it to the most she could, and would blow people away with her wit and kindness.”
Eamonn Holmes has claimed there was a “total cover-up” over Phillip Schofield’s affair with a younger male colleague on This Morning while he was married.
Holmes, 63, who also presented on the show, has accused Schofield of “toxicity” amid the furore over the culture on the ITV daytime programme.
Host Schofield, 61, admitted last Friday to an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague on the show and has now quit the commercial broadcaster and been dropped by his talent agency YMU.
Schofield on Monday hit back at critics, saying on Instagram there was “no toxicity” on the programme, adding: “I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.”
ITV said there had been an investigation in early 2020 when “rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate” but said it did not find “any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour”.
A statement from the commercial broadcaster on 27 May said: “Both parties were questioned and both categorically and repeatedly denied the rumours as did Phillip’s then agency YMU.
“In addition, ITV spoke to a number of people who worked on This Morning and were not provided with, and did not find, any evidence of a relationship beyond hearsay and rumour… He lied to people at ITV, from senior management to fellow presenters, to YMU, to the media and to others over this relationship.”
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But Holmes told GB News presenter Dan Wootton: “It’s a total cover-up.
“Those in authority had to know what was going on and they thought they would dodge a bullet with this.
“Which they do and they do constantly because with Schofield talking about those who speak out against him, namely me, Amanda Holden and you [Dan Wootton], you’ll be included in the toxicity that goes on… Dr Ranj [Singh] of course as well.
“And you simply sit there and think ‘no mate, you’ve had it all your way for too long’.”
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Referring to Schofield’s comments on Instagram, Holmes said: “I think that Phillip is absolutely right about toxicity.
“But my friend, the toxicity is not with me, Dan Wootton, or anyone else, the toxicity is with you.”
Phillip Schofield and Eamonn Holmes social media statements in full
Just before 10am on Monday, Phillip Schofield posts a statement on his Instagram stories.
“Now I no longer work on @thismorning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it’s the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice.
“This morning IS the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there there was no toxicity. You can listen to those persistently loud voices if you like.
“But the thousands of guests over the years, thousands of staff and crew, hundreds of presenters and contributors all know, it IS a family of wonderful, talented, kind, hard working people.”
At 11.10am Eamonn Holmes tweets a response.
“Schofield has just put out a delusional statement. Like Holly he puts it on Insta Stories so if it goes wrong there is no record after 24 hrs.
“I’m reluctant to give the liar any more publicity but believe me Pip if u r looking for a fight , u have picked on the wrong person !”
ITV has been approached for comment by Sky News about Holmes’s claims.
GB News asked ITV’s managing director of media and entertainment, Kevin Lygo, if there was a “cover-up” and if he “protected” Schofield.
Mr Lygo told a GB News producer: “We really have no more to say.”
Holmes previously presented This Morning on Fridays with his wife Ruth Langsford.
The programme’s former resident doctor Dr Ranj Singh has hit out at the show’s “toxic” culture, saying he raised concerns about “bullying and discrimination” two years ago when he worked there and afterwards felt like he was “managed out” for whistleblowing.
Schofield originally said he was stepping down from the show because it had “become the story”, following reports of a feud between him and co-host Holly Willoughby.
Rishi Sunak has said a new government crackdown on vape marketing will stop the “unacceptable” targeting of children and young people.
Ministers have pledged to close a loophole that allows shops to offer free samples of vapes to children in England as concerns over the proportion of youngsters trying e-cigarettes mounts.
It comes days after the prime minister expressed concern about his own daughters potentially being targeted by vape marketing during an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
There will also be a review into banning retailers selling “nicotine-free” vapes to under-18s, the government said, as well as a review of the rules on issuing fines to shops that illegally sell vapes to children.
The government said such reviews could make it easier for local trading standards officials to issue on-the-spot fines and fixed penalty notices.
Ministers cited NHS figures from 2021 which revealed 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds used e-cigarettes – up from 6% in 2018.
Image: Brightly coloured packaging and sweet flavours are encouraging children to try out vaping, campaigners say Pic: AP
Mr Sunak said he was “deeply concerned” about the increase in children vaping, adding he was “shocked by reports of illicit vapes containing lead getting into the hands of schoolchildren”.
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“Our new illicit vape enforcement squad – backed by £3m – is on the case but clearly there is more to do,” the prime minister said.
“That is why I am taking further action today to clamp down on rogue firms who unlawfully target our children with these products.”
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He added that the marketing and the illegal sales of vapes to children are “completely unacceptable” and that he will do everything in his power to “end this practice for good”.
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty called the decision to close the loophole a “very welcome step”.
He said: “Whilst vaping can be an effective quitting tool for smokers, it is important that non-smokers are not encouraged to start vaping.
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Sunak on vape ‘enforcement squads’
“There has been a particularly worrying rise in the number of children using vapes, with companies clearly marketing these products at children using colours, flavours and cheap disposable options.
“Closing the loophole that allows companies to give out free samples of vaping products to under-18s is a very welcome step in tackling some of the harms caused by the vaping industry.”
He added: “We should continue to encourage smokers to swap to vaping as the lesser risk, whilst preventing the marketing and sale of vapes to children.”
The health risks of vaping will now also be included in Relatonships, Sex and Health Education lessons in schools as part of the ongoing government review of the curriculum.
And the crackdown will also see dedicated police school liaison officers work to keep illegal vapes out of schools.
Health minister Neil O’Brien described any marketing of vaping products to children as “shameful”.
He said the government would “review the rules on issuing on-the-spot fines to shops that break the law by selling vapes to underage youngsters, and look into banning the sale of nicotine-free vapes to under-18s – which we know can be a gateway to using nicotine products”.
“Generally, there will be a lot of dry weather around and a good amount of sunshine still,” Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said. “Hazy cloud pushing through at times might make the sunshine hazy in places.
“Temperatures then going to be feeling cooler along eastern coastal areas.”
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Colder conditions in the far north and the east will be brought on by a “cool breeze off the North Sea”, the Met Office added.
Southern and eastern parts will also be cloudy.
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This spring has been cooler than usual in general so far, with temperatures not yet reaching 25C (77F) anywhere in the country.
If the UK doesn’t meet that threshold in the coming days, it will be the first time in 10 years without a day of 25C or hotter by 1 June.
For the rest of this week, half-term for much of England and Wales, the best weather will be confined to western areas.
The Met Office says the high pressure that sent the mercury soaring last week will “stay in charge” in those parts.
Temperatures are likely to peak on Wednesday – and could reach 25C across western Scotland and Wales.
Conditions will be dry and settled, but feel cooler at night. Pollen counts will also be high.
South West England and Wales are set to have the highest temperatures for the remainder of the bank holiday.
Two men died having been pulled from the sea near Torbay in Devon during the hot weather on Saturday, with emergency services warning people against swimming in non-guarded areas.