A jury has heard statements from eyewitnesses describing the moment shooting started in the street before Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed.
Manchester Crown Court heard from Paul Abraham, who was with the "intended target" Joseph Nee when he was targeted by a gunman on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, ar 10pm on August 22 last year. The jury has heard the bullet that killed Olivia travelled through the door of the Korbel family home after Nee barged his way inside to escape.
The jury is hearing evidence against Thomas Cashman, 34, of Grenadier Dive in West Derby, who denies being the gunman and any involvement in the shooting of Olivia, Nee, or Olivia's mum Cheryl Korbel who was also wounded by the same bullet that killed her daughter.
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Today, (Thursday) the jurors saw a video recording of Mr Abraham's police interviews. He told a detective how he went to the home of his friend, Timothy Naylor, to watch Manchester United vs Liverpool, with some other men. The match kicked off at 8pm and he said Nee arrived shortly after kick-off.
Mr Abraham told detectives it was "just a normal day" and the men had been smoking "wacky backy" and drinking cans of Stella while the football was on. He said he and Nee left the property shortly after full-time, and walked along Kingsheath Avenue when a man began shooting.
He said: "The first bang was really loud. It was a bit of shock. As soon as we went to run again there’s been another one straight away it must have hit Joseph and he’s fell over. I’ve basically hopped over him and gone through the gate."
Another witness, Lisa Boylan, described seeing the gunman chasing Joseph Nee. She said: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I heard the lad in grey shouting ‘don’t lad don’t lad don’t’.
“The lad in black with the gun did not reply. He followed the lad in grey clothing onto the other side of the road.
“The male with the gun glared at me as he ran past. It scared me.”
Ms Boylan, who was with her daughter Libby, said she saw the victim running to a house a short way down the street followed by the gunman.
She said: "The lad in black clothing held out his gun again and shot. He shot a second shot straight after. I think they missed despite being close behind him. The lad in grey clothing ran into an address approximately five doors down.
“He was followed by the male with the gun. We remained in the car. I then heard a loud bang as if someone was booting the door open. I think it was the lad in grey clothing desperate to get in the house.”
“Within a second I heard a further three gunshots coming from inside the address. Me and Libby quickly drove away. We wanted to just get away in case we were next shot at. I feared the lad with the gun might shoot at me as he left as we witnessed the incident.
“I immediately phoned the police. Libby was in shock. We both were, and I’m still in shock.”
Ms Boylan said she parked up outside her home on Kingsheath Avenue, and walked back towards the Korbel family home.
She said: "There were lots of people in the street and that front garden. I saw a female child with blonde hair being carried out by police officers. She wore a white nightie which had a lot of blood over it.
“She appeared floppy. I knew immediately the little girl had been shot.”
Ms Boylan said she saw Olivia's mum, Cheryl Korbel, come out of the house. She said: "She was shouting she wanted to go to Alder Hey with her child. She was bleeding also. Her arm was bandaged up.
“The whole incident lasted approximately 90 seconds from first hearing the gunshot to going into the house. I think there must have been seven shots fired in total. It was dark outside, but I did get a good look at the male in grey and the male with the gun.
“I probably wouldn't be able to recognise the man again due to the balaclava. The whole incident has made me feel sick.”
Another witness, Adele Maher, told police the gunman was dressed in “all black from head to toe”
She said: "He was running with an arm stretched out in front of him. Seconds later I heard another two loud noises followed by the worst screaming I’ve ever heard in my life. I think it was women screaming hysterically, out of control. I knew something bad had happened.
“We all just stood around in shock. I could heard [Chloe Korbel, Olivia's sister] on the phone to someone. She sounded distraught. She was saying 'where are they, where are they she’s dying.”
She said her family were “too terrified to go out”. She added: “The male just appeared as a black figure. I couldn’t describe him any more detail.”
The case is continuing
As well as denying Olivia's murder, Cashman denies the attempted murder of Nee, as well as wounding Cheryl Korbel with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. He also pleaded not guilty to 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.
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