* The Liverpool ECHO's Crime Reporter, Jonathan Humphries, and Court Reporter, Adam Everett, sat down for an exclusive, hard-hitting interview with Detective Superintendent Mark Baker and Detective Chief Inspector Jude Blease about the Olivia Pratt-Korbel investigation. Here is a preview, and full, extended footage of the fascinating discussion will be released in the coming days.
Thomas Cashman thought his reputation as a man to be feared would ensure he would walk free from one of the most sickening crimes in Merseyside's history.
Some in the community told Merseyside Police detectives "you'll struggle to charge him" when it became clear the 34-year-old was a suspect in the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, shot dead in her own home on August 22 last year.
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Detective Superintendent Mark Baker, who led the investigation into the schoolgirl's death, said one local resident at a community meeting said Cashman was known for "getting away with things". Indeed recently the ECHO reported on how Cashman was arrested over the still unsolved murder of Karl Bradley, who was shot dead in West Derby in 2013 and left lying in the snow all night.
Cashman was even reportedly seen riding around the local community on the day of the Queen's funeral, after being arrested for the first time and bailed, in what detectives believe was an attempt to send a message to any potential witnesses. However, largely thanks to the supreme courage of one of his own former lovers who gave evidence against him, he was unable to supress the truth.
Now the self-described "high level drug dealer" is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 42 years in prison after being convicted of Olivia's murder at Manchester Crown Court last month.
The court had heard around 10pm Cashman shot his intended target, fellow convicted dealer Joseph Nee, with a Glock self-loading pistol three times, but was foiled in his execution attempt when the gun "malfunctioned" giving Nee chance to stagger away. However Cashman had brought a back-up weapon, a revolver, and pursued Nee as he ran for his life down Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot.
Tragically, Nee barged into the home of Olivia's mum, Cheryl Korbel, looking for refuge after she stepped outside to see what was going on. Cashman, despite knowing Cheryl was in harm's way, blindly fired a shot through the front door, hitting Cheryl in the wrist and Olivia in the chest.
DS Baker and his deputy on the investigation team, Detective Chief Inspector Jude Blease, sat down with the ECHO for an exclusive interview about the case. During the interview, the ECHO asked the senior officers whether new information unearthed during the investigation into Olivia's death could become relevant to other unsolved murders.
DCI Blease said: "What I will say with all of our murders that are unsolved we have a serious case review team. They go through any pieces of information any pieces of intelligence that come through they will look at, if they feel there are viable lines of enquiry...
"It will be interesting now whereby we're in a position, he's received 42 years, of what information now comes in from the community that we can now have a look at."
DS Baker said: "We're always appealing for any information. What you get is sometimes community gossip. However, it doesn't matter what people think, it's about what people can prove. And what we would appeal for today like we always do, is witnesses to come forward in relation to any investigation that we have got ongoing, because that's what we always need.
"So, it would be wrong of us to talk about other cases really when we are still building trust and confidence in the community and we want people to talk to us about other criminality."
The ECHO asked whether justice being served in the Olivia case, with such a heavy sentence, could help convince people to co-operate in other unsolved cases.
DS Baker added: "That is a key point. 42 years for what he's done, sends a really powerful message out to anybody involved or considering picking up a gun. Let's be honest, this was completely reckless. I genuinely believe that people will take note of that sentence, 42 years is huge. They've seen the way Merseyside Police with partnership working, cos it is - it's housing, it's health, it's schools - have built trust and confidence, and we can be trusted, and if you come to us with information we will look after you, we will treat you sensitively.
"There are lots of people in the community we have looked after during the course of this trial and continue to. We don't just step away because the trial's finished, we will be with these people for as long as they need us because that's how justice is served."
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