Paul Russell will appear in court today to be sentenced for attempting to cover up the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel.
The 41-year-old helped killer Thomas Cashman get rid of clothes he worn during the shooting and drove him back to his van. Cashman shot the nine-year-old inside her own home, on Kingsheath Avenue, in Dovecot, on August 22 last year.
During his trial, the jury heard how he “lay in wait” with two guns to attack Joseph Nee, 36. When his intended victim ran towards the Korbels’ open front door, Cashman followed and fired.
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Olivia’s mum Cheryl Korbel, 46, was hit in the wrist as she tried to keep the door shut. The same bullet then hit her daughter, who was hiding behind her. Her last words were: “Mum, I’m scared”.
Cashman was unanimously convicted of murdering the schoolgirl by a jury last month. The 34-year-old was jailed for a minimum of 42 years.
Cashman's trial at Manchester Crown Square Crown Court was told that he had "garden hopped" to Russell's partner's home in the aftermath of the incident. She cannot be named for legal reasons, but reported that she had phoned her boyfriend after being woken by the killer at her bedside.
When Russell arrived, Cashman was said to have told him at the doorstep "I've done Joey", believed to be in reference to the intended target of the attack Joseph Nee. Russell allegedly said "lad, don’t wanna hear it, don’t tell me nothing".
He then drove Cashman to Aspes Road, where he had parked his Citroen Berlingo van. The shooter had left the clothing on the kitchen floor beside the woman's washing machine.
Russell later took these clothes round to the home of Craig Byrne, an associate of the murderer, on Snowberry Road as he walked his dog late that night. Dad-of-two Cashman was given a navy blue pair of his co-defendant's Under Armour tracksuit bottoms during his pitstop at the woman's home.
These were later discovered in a cardboard box at his sister's home on Mab Lane, and when tested were found to contain his DNA and two particles of gunpower residue on the outer surface of the right leg. He was also handed a black and grey Under Armour t-shirt belonging to Russell, which was subsequently located in the box.
A speck of Cashman's blood was found on the garment. Russell, of Snowberry Road, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender in October 2022. Today he will appear in court and be sentenced.
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