The investigation into the death of Olivia Pratt-Korbel hit a significant milestone yesterday as Thomas Cashman and Paul Russell, the two men charged in connection with her death, appeared in court for the first time.
Cashman, who is charged with the murder of nine year-old Olivia as well as the attempted murder of her mum Cheryl and convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee, appeared before the magistrates and crown courts yesterday.
Cashman, 34, is alleged to have shot Olivia in the chest on August 22 as he chased Nee into the Dovecot home Olivia shared with her mother Cheryl.
READ MORE: Thomas Cashman to stand trial next year over Olivia Pratt-Korbel's murder
He is set to go on trial for those crimes next March. Forty-year-old Russell, who is alleged to have helped Cashman by driving him to an address and disposing of his clothing, also appeared before the magistrates courts and will go before a judge at the crown court later this month.
Yesterday's court proceedings were recorded by many journalists both inside and outside the court - yet much of what follows in the coming months will happen away from the public eye, with little else about the preparation for the trial likely to be shared.
Nothing can be published about the case that may prejudice a potential juror in the trial, meaning only the most basic facts, like those heard yesterday, can be reported safely.
But while there may be few new details released before the trial, huge amounts of preparatory work will now take place behind the scenes on both the prosecution and defence sides.
Each will have to determine which witnesses it wishes to call and which evidence it hopes to rely on, while the judge in the case will track each side’s preparations to ensure the trial, which is slated to last four weeks, doesn’t have to be pushed back.
The role of the police, which has so far been focused on the initial stages of the investigation, is also likely to shift. While investigations into the crime will continue, some of the police’s effort will now likely move towards assisting prosecutors in sifting through the vast amount of evidence they have acquired and helping them determine what they wish to rely on in the trial.
The prosecution will then have to let the defence have sight of that evidence so that they too can examine it. That process, and subsequent legal arguments about whether or not evidence should be put before the jury, will likely go on until just before the trial starts.
Cashman and Russell themselves will remain behind bars during this period, with neither having applied for bail. However, there will be further occasions when they appear in court either in person or over video link.
Russell, who did not appear at the crown court yesterday, will do so at the end of this month while Cashman, who did appear at the crown court, is yet to be asked to enter a plea. A date for him to do so was set for January 10 and will likely be one of his last appearances before his trial starts on March 6.
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