The man who admitted trying to help Thomas Cashman evade justice will be sentenced later this month.
Paul Russell, 41, gave Cashman a lift and moved his clothing after the 34-year-old killed Olivia Pratt-Korbel on August 22 last year. Manchester Crown Court heard Russell later handed himself into police when he realised Cashman had killed the nine-year-old instead of his intended target, convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee.
The jury in the trial of Cashman last month were not told Russell, of Snowberry Road in West Derby, had pleaded guilty to assisting an offender to avoid prejudicing the case. Russell had initially appeared alongside Cashman in the dock at Liverpool Magistrates' Court in October last year, but a reporting restriction was imposed by a judge when he admitted his offence, meaning his guilty plea could not be reported by the media until Cashman was found guilty of murder.
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Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 42 years in prison on April 3 after being convicted of Olivia's murder, as well as the attempted murder of Nee, wounding Olivia's mum, Cheryl Korbel, and two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
The jury had heard Olivia died when Cashman blindly fired a shot through the front door of the Korbel home on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, after Nee barged his way inside while fleeing for his life. Cashman had already shot Nee twice on the road outside but failed to finish him off when his first weapon, a Glock 9mm self-loading pistol, "malfunctioned".
However Cashman had a backup weapon, a revolver, which he used to fire a shot which passed through the front door of the house, through Miss Korbel's wrist and into Olivia's chest.
Cashman fled the scene on foot and "garden hopped" to the home of a woman who cannot be named for legal reasons, asking for a change of clothes which she provided. She then called Russell, her partner at the time, who also turned up at her home.
The woman later came forward and told detectives she heard Cashman confess to Russell "I've done Joey", as the two men spoke outside the door.
The court heard Russell replied to Cashman "lad, don’t wanna hear it, don’t tell me nothing". He then drove Cashman to Aspes Road, where the killer had earlier parked his Citroen Berlingo van before heading to the scene of the shooting on foot.
Cashman had left the dark clothing he wore during the shootings on the woman's kitchen floor beside her washing machine. Russell returned and later took them round to the home of Craig Byrne, an associate of Cashman, on Snowberry Road.
However, in court the jury heard Russell had not realised the victim was in fact a child, and came forward shortly after he found out the truth.
Cashman claimed the woman, who he had been sleeping with behind the back of his own partner, Kayleeanne Sweeney, and behind Russell's back, was "stitching him up". He argued that she was "bitter" because he refused to leave Ms Sweeney for her, but also claimed that Russell owed him £25,000 for five kilos of cannabis, and framing him for the murder was a way to "get him off the scene".
However the jury saw through his lies, and the woman has been praised by police for her bravery.
Sentencing Cashman, trial judge Mrs Justice Yip said: "The killing of Olivia Pratt-Korbel is an offence that shocked not only the city of Liverpool, but the nation. Olivia’s name is likely to be remembered for many years.
"She should not be remembered only for her dreadful last moments. Her family have spoken today of Olivia in life and of the hopes and dreams for her future, which were so cruelly snatched away.
"It is plain that Olivia was a lovely little girl, who cared for others and brightened the lives of her family and friends. They have suffered an unimaginable loss which they must carry for the rest of their lives."
Russell will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on April 26.
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