Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer refused right to appeal against 42-year sentence

15 November 2023 , 11:37

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Olivia Pratt-Korbel was nine when she was murdered (Image: PA)

The shameless killer of a nine-year-old schoolgirl was refused the right to appeal his life sentence this morning.

Evil Thomas Cashman asked judges to allow him to appeal his 42-year minimum sentence for murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel after being refused leave in July. Cashman, who was not at the hearing, moaned he would be well into his 70s by the time he would be allowed some kind of freedom.

Cashman was given a mandatory life sentence after being found guilty of murdering little Olivia at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, in August 2022. The 35 year old's written application for permission to challenge his minimum jail term was rejected by an appeal judge, without a hearing, earlier this year.

But today, his barrister renewed that appeal bid at a Court of Appeal hearing in London. John Cooper KC told appeal judges Dame Victoria Sharp, Mrs Justice McGowan and Mr Justice Chamberlain that “aggravating features” were too “heavily relied” on when trial judge Mrs Justice Yip passed sentence.

Thomas Cashman

But we can reveal that twisted Cashman is also hoping to appeal his conviction. John Cooper KC, defending, said after today’s hearing, that an application to appeal had been submitted. It was received by the court in July and has not yet gone in.

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A court official and a lawyer representing Cashman said an appeal against conviction had been lodged. They said the application had yet to be considered by a judge and no appeal hearing date had been fixed.

The shooting of little Olivia occurred as Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, Liverpool, was chasing convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee, who tried to run into the girl’s home in a bid to escape. Cashman opened fire, hitting Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel in the wrist as she tried to keep the door shut on Nee, with the same bullet killing her daughter.

Mr Cooper argued that the “planning” of the crime was given “too much emphasis” by Mrs Justice Yip. He also said the trial judge had not placed enough emphasis on the age Cashman would be when eligible for release. And he told appeal judges that there had been an “over emphasis” on Cashman’s “lack of remorse”.

Olivia was shot by Cashman (PA)

Her mum Cheryl Korbel was also injured (PA)

The defence barrister added that beyond the statutory 30-year sentence for crimes of this nature, the additional 12 years was excessive. He said the intended murder of Nee was not excessively planned, that mitigation in the initial trial was not fully taken into account and that Cashman would be well into his 70s by the time he could be freed on licence.

He also argued that little Olivia was not the intended target. But Dame Victoria Sharp, Mrs Justice McGowan and Mr Justice Chamberlain threw his application out.

Dame Victoria said: “You cannot sensibly argue that the sentencing was excessive. The sentence imposed by the judge was a long one and means (Cashman) will be well into his 70s before he can be released on licence. But that is a consequence of his actions.

“He invaded the home of a family. He then murdered, by shooting, Olivia Pratt-Korbel, a little girl of nine, and seriously injured her mother.” She said her family has been left with a “lifelong” sentence of loss.

“There was no remorse,” Dame Victoria added. “The application for leave to appeal sentence is refused.”

Cashman, who refused to appear at his sentencing hearing earlier this year, was also convicted of the attempted murder of Nee, the wounding of Cheryl Korbel with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, namely a 9mm calibre self-loading pistol and a 0.3 calibre revolver.

Kelly-Ann Mills