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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Jonathan Humphries & Adam Everett

Thomas Cashman jury shown CCTV footage of his movements hours before Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed

A jury hearing evidence on the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel has been shown CCTV footage of Thomas Cashman's movements earlier on the day of the shooting.

The 34-year-old, of Grenadier Drive in West Derby, is currently standing trial at Manchester Crown Court charged with murdering the nine-year-old after she was shot dead inside her own home on Kingsheath Avenue in Dovecot. The jury was told a bullet travelled through the front door of the house, hit her mum, Cheryl Korbel, in the hand then struck the schoolgirl in the chest on the evening of August 22 last year.

David McLachlan, KC, prosecuting, told the jury the gunman had been "relentlessly pursuing" a man called Joseph Nee, who was walking with a friend on Kingsheath Avenue when the offender ran up behind them and began firing with a 9mm self-loading pistol.

READ MORE: Thomas Cashman trial updates as jury begin to hear evidence around Olivia Pratt-Korbel shooting

Nee was struck in the midriff and fell to the ground, but may have been saved when the 9mm appeared to "malfunction" as the gunman stood over him. He was able to scramble to his feet and ran towards the Korbel family home a few doors away, where he barged through the partially open door.

The gunman, however, had a second firearm, a revolver, and pursued Nee. He fired two shots with the revolver, one of which killed Olivia and the second of which lodged in a door frame.

This morning, Wednesday, the jury was played a series of CCTV clips piecing together the movements of both Cashman and Nee on the afternoon before the incident. At around midday, Nee's Volkswagen Transporter van was seen on Finch Lane near to his friend Timothy Naylor's home.

READ MORE: Thomas Cashman trial updates as jury begin to hear evidence around Olivia Pratt-Korbel shooting

The two men left and were then captured on CCTV at Aintree Retail Park at around 1pm, entering the Currys and American Golf stores before returning to Mr Naylor's. Meanwhile, Cashman's Citroen Berlingo van was seen on cameras leaving his home at around 3pm and heading to Finch Lane.

Nee's vehicle was parked in this area at that time. The defendant then continued to his sister Colleen's home on Mab Lane, entering for six minutes before driving back towards Finch Road at around 3.30pm and again heading back to Mab Lane.

At 3.32pm, Nee drove away in the direction of East Prescot Road. Cashman entered Mab Lane for two minutes before exiting on foot at 3.36pm and heading towards Snowberry Road.

At 3.53pm, he was seen on camera exiting this street and crossing Princess Drive towards Rothbury Road. After this, the defendant is seen on the corner of Berryford Road and Finch Lane at 3.56pm

David McLachlan KC, prosecuting, said during his opening on Tuesday that it was at this time that "he was going to shoot Joseph Nee, but he had been thwarted on this occasion because Joseph Nee had gone to Screwfix". Cashman then returned back to Mab Lane "along the same route", being seen on foot and as a passenger in a Ford Transit van during this journey.

He was seen "interacting with a lad on a bike" at his sister's doorstep, entering the house for around four minutes then heading towards his half-brother Kevin Dunn's address - which was also on Finch Lane.

CCTV shows Cashman pulling up on Finch Lane and getting out of his van at 4.11pm. Meanwhile, at 4.13pm, Nee is seen on camera at Screwfix on Aintree Retail Park driving into the car park in his Volkswagen Transporter van.

He is then recorded on CCTV inside the store before driving away at 4.16pm. Cashman stays at his brother’s home for around 35 minutes then leaves at 4.46pm in his van, travelling along Finch Lane and turning right into Kingsheath Avenue.

Again, Nee’s van is away from the area at this time.

There is then a 27-minute gap in the CCTV footage before Cashman’s vehicle is seen driving down Finch Lane. He takes a route along Yewtree Lane, across Princess Drive onto Mab Lane and then turning left onto South Cantril Avenue.

His van turns left onto Playfield Road and returns home to Grenadier Drive via Deysbrook Lane, Colonel Drive and Cadet Way.

Nee’s van is seen 23 minutes later at 5.43pm travelling eastbound on the M58 towards Orrell.

Cashman denies murdering Olivia, the attempted murder of Nee, wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm against Cheryl Korbel and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The trial continues.

READ NEXT: Gunshots, screams and what jury heard so far in Olivia Pratt-Korbel trial

Olivia Pratt-Korbel shouted 'mum I'm scared' as shots were fired

Thomas Cashman's five-word reply after he was arrested over Olivia's murder

Thomas Cashman said 'I've done Joey' after Olivia shooting, murder trial hears

Joseph Nee begged gunman for his life before Olivia Pratt-Korbel shot in home

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