'Stay with me baby': Court hears moment mother of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, 9, realised her daughter had been shot
7 March 2023, 11:15 | Updated: 7 March 2023, 12:53
The mother of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, 9, cried “stay with me baby” as her daughter lay dying from a gun shot to the chest, a jury heard today.
Chloe Corbel told Manchester Crown Court of the moment she grappled with a gunman at her door before being shot in the hand - and then realising her daughter had been hit.
The court heard Ms Korbel was at home with her three children and neighbours when she heard a noise, and went outside.
Joseph Nee ran towards her house with gunman Thomas Cashman, 34, in pursuit, the court heard.
Cashman is accused of Olivia’s murder, the attempted murder of Nee and wounding with intent of Olivia’s mother.
He is also charged with two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. He denies all charges.
The court heard Nee ran up the driveway of the Korbels' home and began banging on the door and shouting "help me" after being targeted.
Mr McLachlan told the jury Ms Korbel had said she was screaming at him to "go away".
She said: "I heard the the gunshot and realised ... I felt it, it hit my hand."
She cried out "I've been shot" before turning round and seeing Olivia at the bottom of the stairs.
She said: "I remember when I turned round and realised the baby was right behind me because she'd come obviously down the stairs cause she'd heard."
Olivia's brother Ryan said Olivia had run downstairs screaming: "Mum, I'm scared."
Ms Korbel was then described as being at the top of the stairs with Olivia saying: "Stay with me baby."
The court heard Cashman “lay in wait for his intended target” armed with two loaded guns.
On August 22 last year Cashman, was waiting for Joseph Nee, who was "without doubt the intended target”, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Prosecutors said Nee was watching a football match at the house of another man, Timothy Naylor, in Dovecot, Liverpool, and when he left the house at around 10pm another person ran after him.
The jury was shown CCTV stills of the person following Nee, who the prosecution say is Cashman.
Mr McLachlan said: "He does not accept that that was him."
Mr McLachlan said the man chasing Nee "meant business, and it wasn't good business".
The jury were shown CCTV and heard three bangs.
Prosecutors said three shots were fired, at least one of which hit Nee in the midriff.
Nee stumbled and Cashman tried to shoot him again but for some reason, possibly because his self-loading pistol malfunctioned, was "unable to complete his task".
Mr McLachlan said: "His task, the prosecution say, was to kill Joseph Nee."
Nee ran away from Cashman and when Olivia's mother, Cheryl Korbel, opened her door after hearing loud bangs, he made a dash towards her house, the court heard.
Cashman was "relentless in pursuit" and fired at Nee with a second weapon, a revolver, Mr McLachlan said.
He said: "This shot missed Joseph Nee and went through Cheryl Korbel's front door.
"That fourth likely shot passed through the door, it then passed through Cheryl Korbel's right hand as she was no doubt trying to shut the door. The bullet then went into the chest of Cheryl Korbel's daughter Olivia Pratt-Korbel."
The nine-year-old was killed by this shot.
The accused then put his arm round the door and fired again, with the shot this time ending up in the door frame, the court heard.
Armed police arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and found Olivia heavily bleeding on the stairs with her mum by her side.
She was rushed to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, but was pronounced dead at 11.15pm.
The jury of 10 men and two women were told the main issue in the case would be whether they were sure Cashman was the gunman.
Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, Liverpool, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Joseph 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.
The trial is expected to last four weeks.
