The mother of murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel clung to a pink bear made from her daughter's pyjamas as her killer received a life sentence.
Thomas Cashman, 34, was found guilty of murdering nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel as he hunted convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee into their home in the Dovecot area of Liverpool on August 22 last year.
Cashman, who did not appear in court for sentencing due to refusing, was given jail for 42 years, The Mirror reports.
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The public gallery gasped as the sentence was read out and Olivia's mother Cheryl Korbel and family were in tears.
Cashman also received life imprisonment, with 22 years set as a minimum for the attempted murder of drug dealer Joseph Nee.
Mum Cheryl arrived at court with a teddy which was made out of her daughter's pyjamas.
She said: "I cannot get my head around how Cashman continued to shoot after hearing the terrified screams and utter devastation he had caused.
"That man set out to do a job and he didn’t care about anyone else or who got in the way. He certainly couldn’t own it either."
Speaking as part of a victim impact statement, she admitted that it is "so very lonely without her" and relayed how the killer kept shooting in spite of her daughter's cries.
Tearfully, she added: "One thing I miss most is hearing her say ‘mum’, I just miss hearing her voice, it’s just so quiet...I can’t cope with the silence."
Cheryl told the court that she now has to drive to the cemetery to be close to her daughter following the murder.
A statement on behalf of John Francis Pratt, Olivia's dad, was heard in the court.
It said: "No words can truly make you understand the pain I am feeling at the loss of my beautiful daughter Olivia.
He continued: "I am heartbroken, sometimes I just want to end it so I can be with Olivia again. You have changed my life and my family’s life forever... We will never be a whole family again."
Olivia's older sister said: "I miss Olivia, I miss my baby sister, and I miss my best friend. I grieve for what we will never get to do together."
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