Man due in court charged with murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine
Another defendant is accused of assisting an offender.
A 34-year-old man is due in court today charged with the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine.
Thomas Cashman is expected to attend Liverpool Magistrates’ Court later alongside Paul Russell, 40, who is accused of assisting an offender.
Cashman is said to have killed the nine-year-old at her home in Didcot, Liverpool, and is also accused of the attempted murder of her mother, Cheryl Korbel and convicted burglar Joseph Nee.
Nee was chased by a gunman into the house on August 22 in an incident which left 46-year-old Korbel injured.
Cashman, from the West Derby area, is further charged with two counts of possessing a firearm to endanger life.
Russell, from West Derby, faces a single count of assisting an offender.
So far, there have been 11 arrests in connection with Olivia’s death, with nine men previously detained as part of the wide-scale investigation.
All of them were later bailed.
Classmates of Olivia have been sharing their memories of her and receiving counselling since returning to school after her death, her headteacher said.
Rebecca Wilkinson, headteacher of St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Junior School in Huyton, said the nine-year-old ‘oozed kindness’ and would be remembered for her smile.
‘We have had counsellors in every class,’ she explained.
‘(The children) are devastated at the loss of their friend, they truly are, but the counselling has definitely helped and we have been so proud of the resilience the children have shown since they’ve been back.’
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Olivia’s funeral was held at St Margaret Mary’s Church in Knotty Ash last month.
Pink ties, jackets, scarves and bows were worn by those attending the service after her family asked people to wear a ‘splash of pink’.
Ms Korbel carried a pink teddy bear into the service, during which she said: ‘Liv touched so many people’s hearts and was loved and adored by everyone. She will never be forgotten.
‘I will never say goodbye but what I will say is goodnight, love you, see you in the morning.’
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