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| Thomas Cashman: Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer jailed for life | Thomas Cashman: Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer jailed for life |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The bullet that killed Olivia was fired through the front door of her home | |
| The man who murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel has been jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 42 years. | |
| Thomas Cashman, 34, refused to go into the dock for the sentencing and none of his family were present in court. | |
| He fatally shot Olivia and injured her mother Cheryl Korbel as he chased a fellow drug dealer into their Liverpool home on the evening of 22 August. | |
| The judge said his failure to appear was "disrespectful" to Olivia's family. | |
| John Cooper KC, defending, said Cashman had not attended the hearing as he claimed the Crown Prosecution Service were singing "We are the Champions" following his conviction. | |
| He said Cashman was concerned it was "turning into a circus". | |
| During sentencing in his absence at Manchester Crown Court, Mrs Justice Amanda Yip said drug dealer Cashman was "not of previous good character" and had made it quite clear he was a criminal and had "demonstrated no remorse". | |
| Thomas Cashman was convicted following a trial, which lasted more than three weeks | |
| Ms Korbel was in tears clutching a teddy she had made from her daughter's pyjamas as she made her victim impact statement in the witness box. | |
| "I cannot get my head around how Cashman continued to shoot after hearing the terrified screams and utter devastation he had caused," she said. | |
| "He doesn't care. His actions have left the biggest hole in our lives." | |
| She added: "It's so very quiet without her, I just can't cope with the silence." | |
| Ms Korbel told the court every afternoon she thought about the end of the school day, adding: "My mind keeps telling me that I've forgotten to pick her up from school." | |
| Cashman was found guilty of murdering Olivia after a trial which lasted more than three weeks. | |
| The jury heard 36-year-old Joseph Nee was the intended target of the attack and Cashman, armed with two guns, has been "lying in wait" for his fellow drug dealer. | |
| Olivia's father John Pratt said in his victim impact statement he was "heartbroken" and had "nightmares about how she died, and the nightmares won't go away". | |
| Directed at Cashman, he said: "You have denied my beautiful girl Olivia her future... I will never see her on her wedding day, and walk her down the aisle... and see her grow into the beautiful woman she was destined to become. | |
| "We have been robbed of her future. Because of you she will be forever nine." | |
| The Drug Wars that Killed Olivia | |
| BBC Panorama investigates how Liverpool came to dominate the UK drug market and how organised crime brought death to Olivia Pratt-Korbel's door. | |
| Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK Only) | |
| Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk | Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk |
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