LONDON, March 31 — A jury in Britain on Thursday found a man guilty of shooting dead a nine-year-old girl as he chased a convicted drug dealer into her home, in a case that shocked the country.
The killing last August of Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool, northwest England — the third fatal shooting in the city within a week — prompted calls for greater action to tackle gun and organised crime.
Seven months on, jurors at Manchester Crown Court convicted Thomas Cashman, 34, of the schoolgirl’s murder and of the attempted murder of his intended target Joseph Nee.
They also found him guilty on another charge relating to injuring the young victim’s mother, Cheryl Korbel, during the attack, following a more than three-week trial.
Olivia was shot in the chest as she sheltered behind her mother, who had opened the door of their home after hearing gunshots in the street outside.
Nee, 36, who has a number of previous convictions, had forced his way in, pursued by Cashman, who has admitted being a “high-level” cannabis dealer but had denied being the gunman in the incident.
The jury heard Olivia had run downstairs after hearing shots outside, saying “I’m scared mummy, I’m scared”.
The bullet which killed her was fired through the open front door, hitting Korbel in the hand before striking Olivia in the chest.
There were gasps and tears in court from Olivia’s family, including her mother who wore a pink cardigan and clutched a teddy, as the verdicts were read out.
Korbel said she was “ecstatic” as she left the court.
Meanwhile, Cashman wiped away tears in the dock and turned to his family in the public gallery behind, shaking his head.
He is expected to be sentenced on Monday. — AFP
