Olivia Pratt-Korbel's mother demands killers forced to face victims' families

21 July 2023 , 10:14

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Olivia Pratt-Korbel's mother Cheryl said no other family should have to endure her ordeal

The mother of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel has demanded an urgent change in the law to force killers to appear in the dock for sentencing.

In April Thomas Cashman, 34, was jailed for a minimum of 42 years for the murder of Olivia, who was shot in Liverpool - but he refused to leave his cell to face justice and a family impact statement.

Describing her daughter's killer as a "coward", Cheryl Korbel told BBC Breakfast on Friday: "Right through the trial, even when he was in the dock, there was a blind down constantly.

"He couldn't see me or any of the family. Apparently, we got told that we were intimidating. I wanted to address him. I think that's why he never came up, because he would have been able to see me."

Asked whether she would have been able to look at Cashman, she replied: "Yeah. But I know for a fact he wouldn't have looked at me."

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Thomas Cashman was jailed in April for the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel

In powerful interview, Ms Korbel, who has been campaigning for a change in the law to compel defendants to attend their sentencing hearings, said "no other family should go through what we've been through".

Ms Korbel appeared on the programme with relatives Kim Alcock and Antonia Elverson, all wearing jumpers decorated with Olivia's photograph.

BBC host Naga Munchetty told them: "You're a family grieving, but you're a family fighting as well and we respect you immensely for that".

The Mirror has also launched the Frace Justice campaign to call for an urgent change in the law to force killers to face their victims' families.

In a separate interview Ms Korbell also called for a face-to-face meeting with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to discuss the campaign.

She added: "I wanted him [Cashman] to listen to the pain that he's caused, the pain that we went through and the pain we are still going through."

Last month, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said the Government was committed to bringing forward legislation to enable offenders to be compelled to attend their sentencing hearings.

But earlier this year Rishi Sunak failed to commit to doing so before the next general election - widely expected in 2024. Speaking in May, the Prime Minister said: "It requires legislation and so we'll have to wait for the legislative opportunity but the commitment stands."

The killers of Zara Aleena and Sabina Nessa were also sentenced in their absence after they refused to attend sentencing hearings. Sex attacker Jordan McSweeney murdered 35-year-old law graduate Ms Aleena as she walked home in Ilford, east London, and was jailed for life in 2022 with a minimum term of 38 years.

Koci Selamaj received life with at least 36 years for murdering primary school teacher Ms Nessa in September 2021.

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Ashley Cowburn