Murder victim's mum walks out as suspect tells court 'I didn't kill little girl'
Olivia Pratt-Korbel's grieving mum walked out of court today after the man accused of shooting the nine-year-old denied her murder.
Giving evidence for a third day at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday, Thomas Cashman, 34, was shown CCTV footage of the gunman carrying out the shooting in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22 last year.
The footage showed the man, alleged to be Cashman, chasing convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee, 36, and firing three shots in the street. In another clip a fourth shot can be heard.
Cross-examining Cashman, David McLachlan KC, prosecuting, said: "That's you, isn't it?"
Cashman replied: "No, it's not me."
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Mr McLachlan said: "You're not prepared to, in the words of somebody else, own this, Mr Cashman, because you killed a little girl?"
Cashman said: "No, I did not kill a little girl."
Ms Korbel, who was injured in the shooting (PA)
Olivia was just nine when she died (PA)He questioned whether his DNA had been found on the door of Olivia's family home and suggested Nee had given the name of another suspect.
Mr McLachlan said: "You're not prepared to own this?"
Cashman replied: "I did not do it, that's why."
Olivia's mother Cheryl Korbel, who was injured when the gunman chased Nee into their house, walked out of court following the denial.
Cashman has admitted selling cannabis but told the court he was "not a bad drug dealer".
He said: "I was drug dealing, I admit, I hold my hands up, I'm a drug dealer.
"I'm not a bad drug dealer who sells Class A drugs, I don't do anything bad.
Cashman, 34, of Grenadier Drive in West Derby (Liverpool Echo)"I sell cannabis in my local area whereabouts I grew up. Some people might look at that as a bad thing because a drug dealer's a drug dealer. I don't look at it as I'm a bad person for doing that."
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He said a woman he had a fling with, who claimed he had gone to her house after the shooting, was a "woman scorned".
He said: "This is how low they'd go."
Cashman was questioned on his movements in the lead up to the shooting. He was asked why he had left his home in West Derby, Liverpool, at about 8.30pm.
Mr McLachlan said: "Were you starting to get excited?"
Cashman replied: "No, I was not starting to get excited."
Mr McLachlan said: "Were you starting to get in the murder frame of mind?"
An artist impression of Thomas Cashman at Manchester Crown Court (Helen Tipper / SWNS)Cashman said: "No, I was not getting in no murder frame of mind whatsoever."
The defendant, of Grenadier Drive, Liverpool, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Olivia's mother, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Yesterday Cashman broke down in court as he said "I am not a killer, I am a dad".
"During questioning on Wednesday, Cashman was seen to become tearful as he said: “I’m getting blamed for something I haven’t done.”
He added: “I’m getting blamed for killing a child. I’ve got my own children. I’m not a killer, I’m a dad. I’m getting blamed for something I haven’t done.”
He also claimed that Nee, the man he was allegedly chasing, was his friend and said he hadn’t planned to shoot anyone.
The trial has been adjourned until Friday.
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