The suspected murderer of a nine-year-old girl has arrived at court with an armed police escort.
Thomas Cashman is due to go on trial today charged with the murder of schoolgirl Olivia Pratt-Korbel in her own home last year. Images from outside Manchester Crown Court show the van that the 34-year-old is being escorted in arriving for the trial.
The nine-year-old was shot dead in the chest with a revolver inside home on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, on the evening of August 22 last year. The gunman had reportedly been chasing after 35-year-old Joseph Nee, who was also injured, at the time of the shooting.
READ MORE: Live court updates as Thomas Cashman trial over Olivia Pratt-Korbel murder begins
Several shots were fired during the incident, with Olivia's mum 46-year-old Cheryl wounded as well. Cashman, of Grenadier Drive in West Derby, denies murdering the schoolgirl.
He has also pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to murder Joseph Nee and wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm against Olivia's mum, Cheryl Korbel. He is also charged with two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life - namely a 9mm calibre self-loading pistol and a 0.3 calibre revolver.
Cashman also denies this charge. He will today face a jury with his trial scheduled to last for four weeks.
David McLachlan KC will appear for the prosecution, assisted by Henry Riding and Peter Wilson. Cashman will be represented by Professor John Cooper KC, with Katy Appleton as his junior.
The ECHO will be reporting live from the courtroom throughout proceedings here.
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