Olivia Pratt-Korbel: I’m a dad not a killer, murder-accused says
“I’m a dad, I’m not a killer,” the man accused of killing Olivia Pratt-Korbel said in court.
In August, a shooter chased a convicted drug dealer into their Liverpool house before shooting nine-year-old Olivia and injuring her mother, Cheryl Korbel.
Thomas Cashman, 34, who is on trial for murder but denies the charges, appeared upset as he testified.
He testified in court that he was using marijuana and counting £10,000 in cash at the moment of the shooting.
At around 22:00 BST on August 22, a shooter chased Joseph Nee into their home in the city’s Dovecot neighborhood, where Olivia and her 46-year-old mother were shot, according to the evidence presented to the jury at Manchester Crown Court.
Asked by John Cooper KC, defending, if he had committed any of the offences he was accused of, he said: “No, I did not.”
His voice broke as he added: “I am getting the blame for something I haven’t done.
“I didn’t do it and I’m getting the blame for it.
“I’m getting blamed for killing a child and I have got my own children.
“I’m a dad, I’m not a killer.
“I’m getting blamed for something I haven’t done.”
Mr Cashman, who on Tuesday admitted being a “high-level cannabis dealer”, said at about 21:15 on the night of the shooting he had been picked up by a friend called Craig Byrne.
He said they went to Mr Byrne’s house to count out £10,000 in cash.
“We counted money then went downstairs, I done myself a spliff in the kitchen, went in the back garden and was having just a general chit-chat with Craig,” he told the court.
Mr Cashman said when he later went into the front garden of the house in Snowberry Road, he could hear sirens and was told by someone there were “police everywhere”
A lady who cannot be named for legal reasons testified previously to the jury about her brief relationship with Mr. Cashman, a father of two children.
She claimed that after the shooting, he returned to her house, changed, and declared that he was “done with Joey.”
When asked if he had ever admitted anything, Mr. Cashman responded, “No, I did not, she’s trying to ruin my life.
For starters, she is attempting to wreck my life since I won’t leave my partner for her. There are numerous explanations.
Additionally, Mr. Cashman asserted that the woman wanted her partner “out of the way” because he owed him $25,000 in drug debt.
The defendant, donning a blue V-neck jumper, shirt, and jeans during cross-examination,
Prosecutors allege he walked and travelled in his van around the area ahead of a plan to find Nee and execute a “hit”.
But Mr Cashman denied this, saying his movements were instead to do with his cannabis dealing – dropping off drugs and collecting money at various addresses in Dovecot and sometimes “socialising” by having a spliff with friends.
Mr Cooper asked him: “It’s suggested that the purpose of your movements was not for the reason you say, but either for the reason of executing a hit or planning a hit?”
Mr Cashman replied: “No, that’s not true whatsoever. What you see here is typical of a local lad who sells cannabis in the area.”
The defendant, of Grenadier Drive, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Ms Korbel, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.