Olivia Pratt-Korbel: Natural to feel shock at shooting, judge says

Jurors have been told it would be "perfectly natural" to feel "shock and upset" during a trial for a man accused of murdering nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

Olivia was shot when a gunman chasing a convicted burglar burst into her Liverpool home on 22 August.

Mrs Justice Yip was speaking ahead of the trial of Thomas Cashman, 34, at Manchester Crown Court.

A jury has been selected for the trial, expected to last about four weeks.

Mr Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, denies murder, attempted murder of a convicted burglar and the wounding with intent of Olivia's mother Cheryl Korbel, 46, at the family's home in Dovecot as well as two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Mrs Justice Yip told the 12 jurors: "I realise many of you will have heard about Olivia's death, at the time there were lots of reports about it.

"If you did see or hear the news reports you may have formed some views at the time.

"It would be perfectly natural to have felt shock and upset about it."

She said: "The jury who will try the case will be presented with all the evidence.

"Of course, no-one has yet heard any of the evidence, so any views that you or anyone else had at the time of news reports are not informed views that a jury will have when they get to the end of the case.

"The verdict the jury reach will be based on the evidence they hear in court and not on anything else."

Olivia's mother and other family members arrived at the court wearing pink ribbons.

They sat in the courtroom near the dock, where Mr Cashman was surrounded by four dock officers, and in front of the public gallery where members of the defendant's family were.

Following her death, Olivia's family described her as a "unique, chatty, nosey little girl who broke the mould when she was born".

The prosecution opening is set to begin on Tuesday.

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