Olivia Pratt-Korbel: Man who helped schoolgirl's killer jailed

By Lauren Hirst & Tom Mullen

BBC News

A man who helped Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s murderer attempt to escape justice has been jailed for 22 months.

Paul Russell drove Thomas Cashman away from a house where he fled following the shooting in Liverpool and disposed of a bag containing his clothes.

He later told police he was “terrified” of Cashman and was not aware he had killed the child when he helped him.

The 41-year-old was jailed after pleading guilty to assisting an offender at Liverpool Crown Court.

Olivia’s father John Pratt was heard to remark “joke” as the sentence was read out.

Mrs Justice Yip told the court: “This case must serve as a warning to others tempted to help an offender, no matter the motivation for doing so”.

Cashman shot nine-year-old Olivia and injured her mother Cheryl Korbel in their home after chasing and firing at a fellow drug dealer on the evening of 22 August.

The 34-year-old shot at Joseph Nee, 36, in the street on Kingsheath Avenue in Dovecot but his gun jammed as he tried to finish the job.

Fleeing the gunfire, Nee ran towards Olivia’s home after her mother opened the door to see what the noise was.

Cashman continued shooting and a bullet went through the door and Ms Korbel’s hand, before hitting Olivia with a fatal shot to her chest.

He then fled the scene, running across back gardens.

Cashman was unanimously convicted of murdering the schoolgirl in March following a trial.

He was also found guilty of wounding Ms Korbel, the attempted murder of Nee and possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.

Russell pleaded guilty to in October but the media was prevented from reporting his plea until the conclusion of Cashman’s trial.

The court heard he had met police in the days after Olivia’s death and told them the man responsible was “Tommy Cashman”.

The defendant appeared via videolink from a remote location for the hearing, which was attended by members of Olivia’s family.

Henry Riding, prosecuting, said: “Mr Russell not only admitted what he had done to assist Mr Cashman in the course of police interviews, he also named Mr Cashman in the course of the very first police interview.”

He said Russell had offered to give evidence against Cashman as a prosecution witness.

Mrs Justice Yip said a balance needed to be struck because Russell had gone to the police after “discovering the dreadful truth that an innocent child had lost her life” and had named Cashman despite genuine fear of the consequences.

“Those who assist offenders who use guns can expect to be imprisoned – that message needs to be understood,” she said.

“You came forward. You named Thomas Cashman despite genuine fear [of him] and for your family.

“You cooperated. All of this puts you in a very different situation than others who have chosen to remain silent.”

Cashman’s trial heard how he ran away as Olivia lay dying and went to the house of a woman, who later testified against him and has now been given lifetime anonymity.

The woman told the court Cashman had changed his clothes and she heard him say he had “done Joey”.

Russell drove the killer from the address to Aspes Road, where he had earlier left his Citroen Berlingo van, and later took a bag containing his clothes to Snowberry Road, where friends of Cashman lived.

In police interviews, Russell said he did not like Cashman and just wanted to get him away from the woman’s house, telling officers: “I’m terrified of him.”

The court heard at the time he was aware Cashman had been involved in a shooting but did not find out about Olivia’s death until the next morning.

He said he saw Cashman the following day and was warned: “Don’t say nothing.”

But, the court heard, that day Russell spoke to a trusted member of the community with a view to arranging to speak to police, who he made contact with the following day.

Nine year old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed when shots were fired into her family home.

Tom Schofield, defending, said: “He doesn’t for a moment suggest he is blameless in this case and he recognises that it’s right he should be punished.”

He said moments after Russell was charged in October, he was issued with a threat to life notice by police.

He had been remanded to a prison in Leeds but was transferred to another prison, under an assumed name, because of a threat to his safety.

Mr Schofield said Russell would be given a new identity and not allowed to return to Merseyside on his release.

He said: “The defendant, for what it’s worth to the court and to others listening, is the epitome of remorse for what he did.”

The court heard Russell will be released fairly soon due to the time he has already served while on remand.

Following the sentencing Det Supt Mark Baker, from Merseyside Police, said he hoped Russell would be able to reflect on his actions on that night.

“Thankfully Russell saw fit to hand himself in when he realised the enormity of what Cashman had done and that Olivia had been killed,” he said.

“His guilty plea at least saves Olivia’s family the agony of sitting through another trial and having once again to relive that horrific night.”

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