Terrified Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shouting for her mum in fear when she was gunned down in her own home.
The little girl, aged nine, had been upstairs in her bedroom when a commotion broke out on their street in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22, 2022. Convicted burglar Joseph Nee was being 'relentlessly' chased by armed drug dealer Thomas Cashman, and raced into the Korbels' property to seek refuge - only for Cashman to open fire.
Behind the front door trying to keep him out was mum Cheryl Korbel, who was shot in the hand. But tragically, hiding behind her at the bottom of the hallway stairs was her daughter Olivia, who was fatally struck in the chest by the same bullet.
One year ago today, Cashman, 35, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 42 years for the senseless killing. Calling the murder "chilling," Justice Yip said: "For the murder of Olivia, there is only one sentence that can be passed, that is a mandatory life sentence."
Olivia was shot dead in the doorway of her family home (PA)
Olivia was just nine when she was gunned down (PA)During the trial at Manchester Crown Court, mum Cheryl Korbel told of her daughter's final moments in an emotional police interview that reduced relatives to tears as it was played in court. Beginning to explain what happened, she told police: "I tried to keep hold of the door, I was just screaming, screaming to go away then I heard the gunshot and I...felt it hit my hand.
Man yelled 'please don't' at gunman before girl, 9, shot dead, court hears
"I couldn't keep the door shut because it wasn't locked, and with my hand I couldn't keep it shut." In a video interview played to the court, Olivia's brother Ryan Korbel said he had been in his room when he heard three loud bangs.
Recalling the moments before Olivia got shot, he said: "The next thing I heard was footsteps across the landing. It was Olivia, she was running downstairs screaming: 'Mum, I'm scared'."
A police officer asked Ryan if he knew what Olivia was scared of. He said: "No, she literally said 'I'm scared mummy, I'm scared'. Then I heard her footsteps. Downstairs she said it another two times 'I'm scared, I'm scared' and then everything else just kicked off."
Ryan said he went to the landing and saw Olivia four or five steps up from the bottom of the staircase, a man lying on the floor and his mother "wrestling" with the door. Cheryl said she thought she heard Olivia scream “Mum!” and turned round to see her sitting at the bottom of the stairs. Telling how she rushed to shield her daughter, she said: "I leant over her and held her to the left, I just huddled over. There was blood everywhere."
Intended victim Joseph Nee (PA)
Killer Thomas Cashman (PA)The mum told detectives she initially thought the blood was her own, but then: "I lifted her top and that’s when I knew she’d been shot in the chest. She was gasping for breath and I was screaming at her to stay with me."
Ryan helped her carry Olivia up the stairs and the mum called for towels to try to stop the bleeding. She said: "I heard the lad downstairs shouting, 'Please lad, don't' and I heard another gunshot. I couldn't keep her awake." She added: "She went all floppy and her eyes went to the back of her head."
Speaking through tears about how she tried to save her, she added: "I knew she'd gone". Olivia had slipped out of consciousness and a neighbour began CPR, with Cheryl not having full use of her hand. The mum recalled: "Her lips had gone blue. I said to [the neighbour], 'She's gone'."
In a separate interview, Olivia's sister Chloe Korbel, 18 at the time, told detectives how she had also tried to help shut out the gunman. She also said Olivia had got out of bed and gone downstairs, saying that she was scared. Chloe added: "I ran down because [two men] were running towards the house.
Cheryl spoke at length about the tragic events that unfolded (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)"My mum was outside so she was running back into the house. As she’s come in, my little sister’s gone into the living room and my mum went to shut the door. I was behind the door as well, shutting it, but because it was on the latch it didn’t shut properly. Me and my mum were holding the door and then another shot got fired. That’s when it was through my mum’s wrist.”
Chloe said she went upstairs to call 999 and "then I heard my mum screaming that Livia had been hit". The court also heard how Olivia's aunt Antonia accompanied her to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital as Cheryl was taken to a different hospital.
Mum's heartbreaking words as daughter 'gasped for breath' after shooting
Telling of the moment she was told Olivia had died, Cheryl said: “[Antonia] told me that she was with the baby and I told her not to leave her on her own. She promised me that she wouldn’t. She said she looked like she was sleeping. I just went hysterical screaming I wanted my baby."
Sentencing Thomas Cashman on April 3, 2023, Justice Amanda Yip said: "The killing of Olivia Pratt-Korbel was an offence that shocked the nation. Olivia's name is likely to be remembered for many years, but her name should not only be remembered for her terrible last moments.
"Her family have spoken of Olivia in life, and of the hopes and dreams for her future so cruelly snatched away. It is plain that Olivia was a lovely little girl who brightened the lives of her family and friends - they have suffered an unimaginable loss they must carry for the rest of their lives."
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