A court was told a woman claimed murder accused Thomas Cashman came to her house after Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed and asked her for a change of clothes.
The woman saw the news about Olivia's death the following morning. A court was told how she "only managed to put the pieces together" when she saw a newspaper article which referred to Joseph Nee, at which stage she "realised who he was and how it was connected to events" of August 22.
The court was told she said: "I broke down, like I physically can’t. I can’t like keep this away, I can’t. I physically couldn’t, I just couldn’t do it. Basically I couldn’t protect him."
READ MORE: Thomas Cashman trial updates as jury told of moment mum realised Olivia Pratt-Korbel had been shot
Mr McLachlan, prosecuting, then pointed to the dock and said: “Thomas Cashman”.
The woman said of her reasons for coming forward: "I don’t want her [Cheryl Korbel] to not have them answers. It’s her little girl, at the end of the day."
She said "she could not understand why [Cashman] went to her house and, in essence, destroyed her life", adding: "I’m really hurt by him because, honestly, I seen him as a good friend to me.
"I don’t give a s*** about the relationship right because half the time that relationship, it wasn’t a f***ing affair like people may think. It was three times."
This woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, later told police that she was at home on the evening of August 22 and "dozed off" at some point around 9pm before being woken by Cashman.
She stated: "I remember just being asleep and obviously being tapped on the leg a good couple of times - 'it’s Tommy, it’s Tommy', in me room. I could just see him with his hands in his head, in his hair."
Cashman told her to "get him a pair of pants", adding: "I didn’t know where else to go, I trust you." The woman then phoned a man called Paul Russell against Cashman's wishes.
After he too arrived, she heard the name "Joey Nee" being mentioned when the two men were talking. When Russell arrived, he was heard to say: "Lad, don’t wanna hear it. Don’t tell me nothing."
Cashman was said to have told him at the front door: "I've done Joey".
Mr McLachlan, for the prosecution said: "In short, she puts Thomas Cashman in her house after the shooting at Kingsheath Avenue - a shooting that had not gone well, and Thomas Cashman had sought refuge in the home of someone whom he thought he could trust.
"And by doing so, he brought a whole world of pain to her door."
The woman, who “at that stage had no idea a shooting had taken place", asked Cashman where he had been, to which he responded "he went to drop the bits off before he came to my house".
When asked what the defendant was wearing when he left, the woman said: "Them clothes I gave him, that blue pants and then the top he’s took off the radiator and them Nike slide sandals."
The court was told Cashman left a pile of clothes by the washing machine, which Russell would later "move" after the men departed together.
The trial continues.
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