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| Man jailed for helping Thomas Cashman after Olivia Pratt-Korbel shooting | Man jailed for helping Thomas Cashman after Olivia Pratt-Korbel shooting |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Paul Russell, of West Derby, Liverpool, admitted driving Cashman after he fatally shot nine-year-old | Paul Russell, of West Derby, Liverpool, admitted driving Cashman after he fatally shot nine-year-old |
| A man has been jailed for 22 months for helping the convicted murderer Thomas Cashman after he fatally shot nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel. | A man has been jailed for 22 months for helping the convicted murderer Thomas Cashman after he fatally shot nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel. |
| Paul Russell, of West Derby, Liverpool, admitted driving Cashman from an address and disposing of his clothing in the aftermath of Olivia’s shooting, which happened at about 10pm on 22 August last year when the gunman chased the convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee into the family home in Kingsheath Avenue, firing through the door and also injuring her mother, Cheryl Korbel. | Paul Russell, of West Derby, Liverpool, admitted driving Cashman from an address and disposing of his clothing in the aftermath of Olivia’s shooting, which happened at about 10pm on 22 August last year when the gunman chased the convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee into the family home in Kingsheath Avenue, firing through the door and also injuring her mother, Cheryl Korbel. |
| Russell pleaded guilty in October to helping Cashman but it could not be reported until after Cashman’s trial in March this year. | Russell pleaded guilty in October to helping Cashman but it could not be reported until after Cashman’s trial in March this year. |
| Russell will be in witness protection after leaving prison as his life will be at risk in Merseyside, his barrister, Tom Schofield, told Liverpool crown court on Wednesday. | Russell will be in witness protection after leaving prison as his life will be at risk in Merseyside, his barrister, Tom Schofield, told Liverpool crown court on Wednesday. |
| He said: “[He will be] given a new identity and no doubt be looking over his shoulder for some years to come. | He said: “[He will be] given a new identity and no doubt be looking over his shoulder for some years to come. |
| “It would be naive not to recognise this hardship and disruption he has brought upon himself. Of course, all of that hardship and disruption is but a drop in the ocean of grief that Olivia’s family have had to endure and will continue to endure. I do ask the court to reflect those circumstances in some way in his sentence.” | “It would be naive not to recognise this hardship and disruption he has brought upon himself. Of course, all of that hardship and disruption is but a drop in the ocean of grief that Olivia’s family have had to endure and will continue to endure. I do ask the court to reflect those circumstances in some way in his sentence.” |
| Mrs Justice Yip also heard how Russell’s parents had been forced to flee the area after the case came to light. Through his barrister, Russell maintained that when he had helped Cashman in the immediate aftermath of the killing, he did not know a child had also been shot. | Mrs Justice Yip also heard how Russell’s parents had been forced to flee the area after the case came to light. Through his barrister, Russell maintained that when he had helped Cashman in the immediate aftermath of the killing, he did not know a child had also been shot. |
| He told police during his interviews that he agreed to help because he was “terrified” of Cashman, a local drug dealer. | He told police during his interviews that he agreed to help because he was “terrified” of Cashman, a local drug dealer. |
| The senior investigating officer DS Mark Baker said he hoped Russell would spend time reflecting on his actions. He said: “The nation was rightly horrified by the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel as a consequence of the reckless actions of Thomas Cashman on that night. | |
| “Assisting someone to escape justice when they have committed any crime is to be condemned but particularly so when an innocent child is the victim. | “Assisting someone to escape justice when they have committed any crime is to be condemned but particularly so when an innocent child is the victim. |
| “Thankfully Russell saw fit to hand himself in when he realised the enormity of what Cashman had done and that Olivia had been killed. His guilty plea at least saves Olivia’s family the agony of sitting through another trial and having once again to relive that horrific night.” | “Thankfully Russell saw fit to hand himself in when he realised the enormity of what Cashman had done and that Olivia had been killed. His guilty plea at least saves Olivia’s family the agony of sitting through another trial and having once again to relive that horrific night.” |
| The Korbel family were at home when they heard gunshots on the street outside. Opening the door to see what was happening, Cheryl Korbel was confronted by Nee, who ran towards their house, seeing the door was ajar. | The Korbel family were at home when they heard gunshots on the street outside. Opening the door to see what was happening, Cheryl Korbel was confronted by Nee, who ran towards their house, seeing the door was ajar. |
| As Korbel went back inside and tried in vain to shut the door, she was shot in the hand by the same bullet that hit Olivia, who was standing behind her. | As Korbel went back inside and tried in vain to shut the door, she was shot in the hand by the same bullet that hit Olivia, who was standing behind her. |
| It was a warm night and Olivia, a year 4 pupil at St Margaret Mary’s Catholic junior school, had been struggling to get to sleep, saying she was too hot. She was at the bottom of the stairs when the commotion happened, and witnesses heard her say “Mummy, I’m scared”. | It was a warm night and Olivia, a year 4 pupil at St Margaret Mary’s Catholic junior school, had been struggling to get to sleep, saying she was too hot. She was at the bottom of the stairs when the commotion happened, and witnesses heard her say “Mummy, I’m scared”. |
| Korbel tried to shield her daughter as Nee burst through her front door followed by Cashman. Nee was shot in the leg and torso but survived. | Korbel tried to shield her daughter as Nee burst through her front door followed by Cashman. Nee was shot in the leg and torso but survived. |
| The casual nature of the shooting shocked the community in Liverpool and became international news. | The casual nature of the shooting shocked the community in Liverpool and became international news. |
| In a statement read outside the court when Cashman was found guilty, Korbel said she would have given “anything in the world” to have her daughter back. | In a statement read outside the court when Cashman was found guilty, Korbel said she would have given “anything in the world” to have her daughter back. |
| She said: “My nine-year-old Liv was the light of our lives, our beautiful, sassy, chatty girl who never ran out of energy. She was a character, she was my baby, she had amazing qualities and knew what she wanted in life.” | She said: “My nine-year-old Liv was the light of our lives, our beautiful, sassy, chatty girl who never ran out of energy. She was a character, she was my baby, she had amazing qualities and knew what she wanted in life.” |