Thomas Cashman appeals to have 42-year jail term reduced
Olivia Pratt-Korbel's murderer has asked to appeal his sentence
Last updated 25th Aug 2023
It's reported Thomas Cashman has applied for permission to appeal his 42-year sentence, for killing nine year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool last summer.
The Court of Appeal has apparently received an application for leave to appeal the sentence handed to him less than three weeks ago.
A single appeal court judge will now decide if he should be given the opportunity to appeal.
If he is, the case will be heard by three judges sitting at the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.
By appealing his sentence, he also runs the risk of it being increased.
Earlier this month, Cashman refused to appear in court for sentencing, something which has sparked outrage across the country.
Sentencing the 34-year-old, Mrs Justice Yip said: “The defendant has not acknowledged his responsibility for Olivia’s death and so has demonstrated no remorse.
“His failure to come into court is further evidence of that.”
The 'Face The Family' campaign has already received the backing of the Prime Minister, the Labour party, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the London Mayor, and countless others.
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What happened to Olivia?
The trial, which lasted almost four weeks, heard Cashman had been “scoping out” intended target Nee, a convicted drug dealer, on the day of Olivia’s death.
The jury was told he lay in wait for Nee on Kingsheath Avenue, armed with two guns, and then chased him, firing three shots in the street, when Nee left a house shortly before 10pm.
Nee ran towards the open door of Olivia’s home after her mother went out to see what the noise was, the court heard.
The bullet which killed Olivia was fired through the front door, hitting the wrist of Ms Korbel, who was trying to hold the door shut, before striking Olivia in the chest.
A woman who had a fling with Cashman told the jury he came to her house after the shooting, where he changed his clothes and she heard him say he had “done Joey”.
Mrs Justice Yip praised the bravery of the witness, who has been granted lifetime anonymity, and said: “The defendant invented a defence designed to humiliate and undermine her.
“It did not work. She was subjected to lengthy questioning about the most intimate details, but she stood firm.
“I am sorry that she had to endure that but endure it she did, and her courage is to be applauded.
During his evidence, Cashman admitted being a “high-level” cannabis dealer.
But the father of two told the court: “I’m not a killer, I’m a dad.”
The judge said she accepted being taken away from his children was a loss for Cashman and for them.
She added: “It is a loss that he is wholly responsible for.”
The jury took more than nine hours to find Cashman guilty of Olivia’s murder, the attempted murder of Nee, the wounding with intent of Ms Korbel and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.