Police investigating whether handgun found in cemetery is linked to Olivia murder

Tests are being carried out on gun found in Liverpool

Author: Louisa KingPublished 19th Oct 2022

A gun that may be related to the shooting of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel has been found in a cemetery.

Police discovered the handgun and ammunition in a graveyard in West Derby, Liverpool, at lunchtime on Tuesday.

Forensic tests are being carried out to determine the type of gun and whether it was used in the nine-year-old's murder.

Olivia was fatally shot in the chest at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22.

Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured as a gunman chased another man, into their home at about 10pm.

Detectives have previously confirmed that a .38 revolver was the weapon that killed Olivia.

A second gun that was also fired, a Glock-type self-loading 9mm pistol, had been used in two previous attacks.

Charity Crimestoppers has offered a record £200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of Olivia's killer.

Thomas Cashman, 34, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, is accused of her murder and is due to stand trial in March.

Police are also looking into whether the gun could have been used in the murders of Ashley Dale, 28, in Old Swan, and Sam Rimmer, 22, in Dingle. Like Olivia, both were killed in August.