Olivia Pratt-Korbel's family cried tears or relief as Thomas Cashman was found guilty in Manchester Crown Court.
Cashman, 34, and formerly of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, was unanimously found guilty by a jury of Olivia’s murder. The drug dealer was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Joseph Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Cheryl, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
He will be sentenced on Monday, April 3.
The verdict was delivered this afternoon, Thursday, after eight hours of deliberations. Manchester Crown Square Crown Court previously heard during a three-and-a-half-week trial that Cashman "lay in wait" for Nee while armed with two loaded guns as his intended target watched a Liverpool FC v Manchester United football match on the television at his friend Timmy Naylor's house on Finch Lane.
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David McLachlan KC, prosecuting, described how Cashman had "murder on his mind" and stood over the helpless man and attempted to discharge the firearm again as he begged: "Please don't. Don't lad". But the gun malfunctioned, and Nee was able to escape.
Cashman however continued his "ruthless pursuit" as he fled towards the Korbel family home. Forty-six-year-old Cheryl, alarmed by the gunfire outside, had stepped out of her house to investigation but quickly rushed back indoors when she saw Nee running towards her and away from Cashman - who was dressed all in black and had his face covered.
She then tussled with the gunman's intended target in an attempt to keep her front door shut and to keep him out of the property, but was unable to fully close it as it had been left on the latch in order to allow the neighbours to let themselves in for a cup of tea.
The assailant fired another shot with a second, backup weapon - a 0.3 caliber revolver - at this point. This was the shot which claimed Olivia's life, the bullet passing through the door and travelling through the mother's hand before striking her in the chest.
The schoolgirl had been upstairs in bed, but was heard to say "mummy, I'm scared" as she ran to the bottom of the stairs to her mum having been startled by the commotion. With Nee by now inside, Cashman then forced his arm around the door and fired one final shot which became lodged in the doorframe.
Olivia was scooped up by the first police officer to arrive at the scene and rushed to Alder Hey Children's Hospital after being critically injured, but died shortly before 11.30pm. There were emotional scenes in court as Cheryl Korbel recounted the tragedy in a video interview with police, which was played to the jury.
Before Justice Yip asked the foreman of the jury to stand and give their verdict, Olivia's mum, Cheryl, was seen in the public gallery wearing a pink cardigan and holding a teddy bear, sat with her children Chloe and Ryan in the court. There were gasps and tears from Olivia’s family as the verdicts were returned.
Cashman wiped tears from his eyes following the verdicts. His family, including partner Kayleeanne Sweeney, sat in a public gallery behind a glass partition. Ms Sweeney could be seen with her head in her hands while other members of the defendant’s family were in tears. He turned back to his family and shook his head at one point.
Following the verdict Justice Yip addressed the court and said: "Clearly that means I will be required to sentence the defendant. I’m not going to do that immediately.
“There is somebody else who will fall to be sentenced, it hasn’t been possible to report until now but Paul Russell has been convicted of assisting an offender."
Justice Yip said Cashman, 34, and Russell, will be sentenced on Monday, April 3 and thanked the jury for their “diligent service”.
She said: "We have been extremely fortunate all 12 of you have been diligent throughout the trial.”
She suggests they may wish to "release some of the emotion" they had kept in check during the trial, and recommended seeking support if needed using information provided by the courts.
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