Olivia Pratt-Korbel shouted "mum I'm scared" as shots rang out near her house, a jury was told today.
Tragic details of the nine-year-old's final moments were outlined in courtroom one at Manchester Crown Court this morning, where Thomas Cashman, 34, of Grenadier Drive in West Derby, is on trial accused of her murder.
Cashman denies murder, as well as the attempted murder of Joseph Nee, wounding Olivia's mum, Cheryl Korbel, with intent and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
David McLachlan, KC, prosecuting, told the jury that a gunman approached two men walking on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, at around 10pm on Monday, August 22 last year. The men, Mr Nee and Paul Abraham, had been at a property on the corner of Kingsheath Avenue and Finch Lane watching Manchester United vs Liverpool FC, a Premier League football match which had ended at around 9:52pm.
READ MORE: Thomas Cashman trial updates as jury told of moment mum realised Olivia Pratt-Korbel had been shot
The gunman approached the men from behind and fired three times, striking Mr Nee in the midriff. CCTV played to the jury showed the gunman standing over Mr Nee, who had stumbled to the ground, while pointing a handgun at him.
The jury heard that for some reason, possibly due to the weapon "malfunctioning", the gunman was unable to finish Mr Nee off and he was able to scramble away - towards the home of Olivia and her family further along Kingsheath Avenue.
Mr McLachlan told the jury at that point Cheryl Korbel was at home with two neighbours, who had "popped in for a cup of tea". Olivia was in bed, and her brother Ryan Korbel and sister Chloe Korbel were also in the house.
The jury heard how Cheryl was sat talking to her friends when she heard bangs and "jumped up and went outside". Mr McLachlan said: "She quickly realised the gravity of the situation that she now faced, turned in a panic and ran back towards her house".
Mr McLachlan said the mum attempted to shut the door, although it "never caught fully because it was on the catch". Nee began banging on the door and shouting "help me", saying to the gunman: "What are you doing lad?"
The jury heard it was at this point that the gunman fired again with his second weapon, a 0.3 revolver. Mr McLachlan said: "Cheryl Korbel later recalled of the incident: 'I was just screaming to go away and then I heard the gunshot and realised, I felt it. It hit me hand."
Her friend heard her shouting "get the f*** out" at Nee, who was telling her to call the police. Cheryl cried out "I've been shot" before turning round and seeing Olivia at the bottom of the stairs.
When interviewed by police, she said: "I remember when I turned round and realised the baby was right behind me, because she’d obviously come down the stairs because she’d heard."
Chloe Korbel remembered seeing her little sister getting out of bed and going downstairs "saying that she was scared". Ryan Korbel described seeing the youngster running downstairs screaming "mum, I'm scared".
Chloe then heard her mum screaming that "Livia had been hit". Cheryl went over to her daughter on the stairs, saying: "Stay with me baby".
Ryan Korbel, meanwhile, shouted for Nee, who was slumped in the hallway, to leave. Another neighbour recalled seeing the gunman charge the door and managing “in some way” to get inside, at which point she heard a further bang.
Ryan Korbel saw the man's arm come around the door, holding a black handgun, and saw another shot being fired. Cheryl heard Nee say "please lad don't" before hearing a further shot. After the gunman ran off, Nee shouted "help me" and asked for a phone.
Another neighbour, reported hearing two bangs followed by two more and "the worst screaming I've ever heard in my life". She then heard Chloe on the phone saying: "Where are they, where are they? She is dying."
Cheryl said Olivia "went all floppy and her eyes went to the back of her head", adding: "I realised that she must’ve been hit, because I didn’t know until then, and I lifted her top up and the bullet had got her right in the middle of the chest."
Another neighbour saw Nee collapse in the middle of the road after "stumbling out" of the house, then making a phone call in which he said he had been shout. One other resident heard him shouting "Timmy" or "Tommy", believed to be referring to Timothy Naylor.
Ryan Korbel, who at this stage did not know his little sister had been shot, came out of his home and screamed at Nee: "You've brought this to my door."
A witness called Rebecca Power then saw a black car with five males inside pull up on Kingsheath Avenue. Several of the occupants got out and picked up the injured Nee, with one shouting "did anyone see anything?" before the vehicle drove off towards Finch Lane.
The jury emergency services were first contacted at 10pm, with police arriving shortly after 10.10pm.
One officer carried Olivia out of the house, taking her “straight to hospital". PC Metcalf could feel the faint beating of Olivia’s heart. Her eyes were open but her lips were blue.
The schoolgirl was taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, a very short distance away. She was declared dead at 11.24pm.
The trial continues.
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