Olivia Pratt-Korbel murder: No CCTV recovered from suspect’s home, court told

CCTV from the home of the man accused of shooting Olivia Pratt-Korbel was never recovered, a court has been told.

Thomas Cashman, 34, is accused of killing the nine-year-old and injuring her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, after chasing Joseph Nee into their home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22 last year.

On Thursday, his trial at Manchester Crown Court heard a crime scene investigation of Cashman’s home in Grenadier Drive, West Derby, Liverpool, was carried out on September 14.

Officers found there was no electricity supply to the property, the exterior electric cupboard was open and routers, smoke alarms, CCTV monitors and cables from the rear of televisions were disconnected.

Detective Constable Craig Doyle told the court that information from a BT router at the house showed a device called XVR had last connected on August 25.

He said research showed a range of CCTV recorders, including a product called XVR.

David McLachlan KC, prosecuting, asked: “Was a CCTV recorder ever recovered?”

Dc Doyle said: “No.”

Mr McLachlan said: “However, one had last connected on August 25 between 2pm and 4pm?”

Dc Doyle replied: “Yes.”

The constable said police had attributed six phones to Cashman but, between August 19 and 24, they could not find a phone number which he was using.

The jury heard Mr Nee suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the incident, including an injury which was potentially life-threatening.

A list of his injuries was read to the court in agreed evidence and included a laceration to his scalp, an entry wound to his chest, a rib fracture, bleeding into his chest cavity and an injury to part of his colon.

Jade Holland, head of design at Foot Asylum, gave evidence about a pair of Monterrain tracksuit bottoms which the gunman was identified as wearing in CCTV.

She said reflective markings on the trousers made them “quite unique as a garment”.

Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, Liverpool, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Mr Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Olivia’s mother, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.