Man, 34, charged with murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel

A 34-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel, five weeks after she was shot in the chest at her home in Liverpool.

Thomas Cashman, of West Derby, is accused of killing nine-year-old Olivia, who died after convicted burglar Joseph Nee was chased into her family’s property in Dovecot on Aug 22.

Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured during the incident but survived. Mr Cashman has also been charged with the attempted murder of both Ms Korbel and Nee.

He faces two further counts of possessing a firearm to endanger life.

A second man, Paul Russell, 40, also from West Derby, has been charged with assisting an offender, chief crown prosecutor Maria Corr said at a press conference at Merseyside Police headquarters yesterday.

They will both appear at Liverpool magistrates’ court tomorrow.

Ms Corr said that the charges had been authorised following “the review of a file of evidence received from Merseyside Police”.

Earlier this month, Olivia’s funeral was held at St Margaret Mary’s church in Knotty Ash. Pink ties, jackets, scarves and bows were worn by those attending the service after her family asked people to wear a “splash of pink”.