Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s cowardly killer Thomas Cashman appeals to have 42-year murder sentence reduced
21 April 2023, 07:57
Thomas Cashman has appealed to reduce his 42-year jail term for murdering nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel.
The Court of Appeal has confirmed it has received an application for a reduction in Cashman's sentence, though no application has been made in relation to his murder conviction.
A court judge will now decide whether he should be allowed to appeal. If successful, Cashman's case will be heard by three judges at the court's criminal division.
Cashman, who shot Olivia dead when he fired into her family's home as he tried to kill another crook, was given life in prison with a minimum of 42 years behind bars.
At the same time, the Attorney General's Office has been handed a request asking for the jail term to be deemed to lenient.
The office has been considering the request and then refer it to the Court of Appeal, where judges may decide to extend it.
"We have received a request for this sentence to be considered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme," the office said.
"The Law Officers have 28 days from sentencing to consider the case and make a decision."
It follows complaints from members of the public.
Read More: Olivia Pratt-Korbel's cowardly killer could face getting prison sentence extended after outrage
Cashman, who said he was not the hitman and claimed a key prosecution witness – who heard him say he'd "done" Nee – was framing him out of spite that he did not run away with her and leave his partner.
A jury at Manchester Crown Court disagreed and convicted him of killing Olivia, a murder that shocked the country and brought renewed focus on violent crime in Liverpool.
He was jailed in April but was branded a coward after he refused to appear in court to hear his sentence read out.
The judge, Mrs Justice Yip, described it as "disrespectful".
