Thomas Cashman told a jury a "key witness" in the case "ruined my life" by telling police he had turned up at her house after Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shot dead.
The 34-year-old is giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court where he is standing trial over the nine-year-old's death on August 22 last year. Olivia died after a bullet passed through the front door of her family home on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, before hitting her mum, Cheryl Korbel, in the wrist and then striking her in the chest.
The gunman had been chasing 36-year-old Joseph Nee on the street outside, who despite being shot twice managed to run and barged into the Korbel house while fleeing for his life. Cashman denies any involvement in Olivia's death or shooting Nee.
READ MORE: Thomas Cashman murder trial resumes as man accused of shooting Olivia Pratt-Korbel gives evidence
Dad-of-two Cashman, of Grenadier Drive in West Derby, yesterday admitted he was a "high-level" cannabis dealer selling to people he knew in the local area, but claimed he was "friends with Joseph Nee" and denied having any problem with the Nee family.
Today, his barrister John Cooper, KC, asked about messages recovered from the phone of a woman Cashman admitted having a fling with behind his partner's back. The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told her friend she wanted to "ruin" Cashman like he "had ruined me".
Mr Cooper asked: "You heard the evidence as far as [witness name] was concerned. She said this. ‘I’m going to ruin you like you ruined my whole life’. She agreed that was her view. She went on to say ‘he had ruined my life, finished my life, he head f***ed me’. She was referring to her relationship with you. When she said I’m going to ruin you, were you surprised to hear her express herself in that way?”
Cashman replied: “Everything she’s said, is what she’s done to me. She’s ruined my life. She’s ruined my partner’s life, she’s ruined my kids' life. What she said to her mate she had done to me. My life’s been ruined. What she’s saying is a lie. She’s ruined my life. That’s the only thing I can say."
Cashman also told the jury the woman was "obsessed" with him, and also that he was owed £25,000 by the woman's partner, Paul Russell, for five kilos of cannabis which he had supplied to Mr Russell. He also suggested the woman was interested in the reward money for information on Olivia's death.
He told the jury he had told Mr Russell he would "take his graft phone and take his car" if the bill was not paid.
Mr Cooper suggested: "The obsession, the drug debt and the reward. Those are the three main reasons you think she is lying about you?”
Cashman replied: “Yeah I think so. She’s openly admitted she wanted to ruin my life. Paul Russell’s been Googling on his phone a week before this happened the fastest way to commit suicide.
"I know it’s not the nicest thing. He was under so much pressure to pay me the money. He bumped into a friend of mine and he told me that. He told him I’ve been Googling the fastest way to commit suicide. He just said he was feeling depressed and things like that."
David McLachlan, KC, prosecuting, has told the jury the gunman, who he alleges was Cashman, lay in wait for around half an hour before approaching Nee on Kingsheath Avenue and opening fire. Cashman denies any involvement in the shootings.
CCTV recorded three loud bangs and showed how Nee, struck in the midriff, fell to the ground. However the jury heard he may have been saved by one of the guns, a 9mm handgun, "malfunctioning" as the killer seemed about to finish him off.
Olivia was rushed to nearby Alder Hey Children's Hospital by two police officers who arrived on scene a short time later, but was pronounced dead at 11.24pm that night.
As well as denying Olivia's murder, Cashman denies the attempted murder of Nee, as well as wounding Cheryl Korbel with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. He also pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, namely a 9mm calibre self-loading pistol and a 0.3 calibre revolver.
The trial continues.
READ MORE:
Thomas Cashman told police 'yous are stitching me up' after Olivia murder arrest
Witness 'laughs' at claims her boyfriend owed Thomas Cashman £25k
Ex-lover told to 'calm down' by judge after Thomas Cashman questions
Woman says 'world crumbled down' when she was arrested on train over Olivia Pratt-Korbel murder
Woman who had 'fling' with Thomas Cashman believed she was pregnant with his child
