A man has pleaded not guilty to the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel.
Olivia was fatally shot by a gunman who chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22. Thomas Cashman, 34, appeared via videolink wearing a pale-coloured polo shirt at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday (December 21).
Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was also injured in the shooting, which happened just after 10pm. Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, entered not guilty pleas to Olivia’s murder, the attempted murder of Nee, the wounding with intent of Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel, as well as two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
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He similarly 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.
Ms Korbel was in court along with other family members, some of whom shook their heads as the not guilty pleas were entered. A trial date is scheduled for March 6 next year, with the case expected to last around four weeks.
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