Teddy held by Olivia Pratt-Korbel's mother is made from her pyjamas

2023-04-10

Revealed: The pink ‘memory’ teddy held by Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s mother to comfort her as killer Thomas Cashman was jailed for life is made from pyjamas the nine-year-old was dressed in at hospital after she was shot dead

Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s mother, Cheryl Korbel, arrived at court clutching the bear
The teddy is made from pyjamas Olivia wore in hospital after she was shot dead
Read more: Oliva Pratt-Korbel’s family arrive to see her killer’s sentencing

The pink ‘memory’ teddy held by Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s mother as her daughter’s killer was jailed for life is made from pyjamas the nine-year-old was dressed in at hospital after she was shot dead.

Cheryl Korbel, 46, arrived at court today clutching the patchwork bear, hoping to see justice served to killer Thomas Cashman in person – which she was denied.

Cashman, 34, was today sentenced to a minimum term of 42 years for Olivia’s murder – but cowered in his cell and refused to face the judge.

He had meant to kill drug dealer Joseph Nee, 36, but ended up shooting Olivia through her mother’s hand on August 22, at their home in Dovecot, Liverpool.

Cheryl Korbel, 46, arrived at court today clutching a pink ‘memory’ teddy made from pyjamas her nine-year-old daughter was dressed in at hospital after she was shot dead by killer Thomas Cashman

Olivia’s family arrived outside Manchester Crown Court ahead of the sentencing of the nine-year-old’s killer, Cashman, where Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel clutched the teddy

Cheryl held the patchwork bear, hoping to see justice served to killer Thomas Cashman in person – which she was denied

Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine, was shot through her mother’s hand by Cashman on August 22, at their home in Dovecot, Liverpool

The Snowdrop Team is the child bereavement support service at Alder Hey.

Ms Korbel also told the court how her mind ‘keeps telling me I’ve forgotten to pick her up from school’ as she revealed her pain that Olivia would never get to make her Holy Communion, wear a prom dress or have a 16th birthday party.

In a heartbreaking victim impact statement, Ms Korbel told the court: ‘I cannot get my head around how Cashman continued to shoot after hearing the terrified screams and utter devastation he had caused. That man set out to do a job and he didn’t care about anyone else or who got in the way.’

She added: ‘My worst nightmare was being separated from Liv, not being with her when she needed me the most. I was the first person to hold my baby girl and as her mum I should have been the last.’

Ms Korbel said her daughter had been due to have her hair cut five days after her death and wanted to donate 12 inches of it to the Princess Trust ‘for sick kids to have beautiful wigs’.

Speaking about the teddy, Ms Korbel told the court today: ‘This is Liv – she was made by Nessa out of Liv’s pyjamas that she lay in at the Snowdrops centre at Alder Hey. She now shares my bed’

Thomas Cashman (pictured) had meant to kill drug dealer Joseph Nee, 36, but ended up shooting Olivia on August 22, at their home

Describing returning to the family home after Olivia’s death, she said: ‘Right in that moment I was home, we were back to how our lives were before that night and I soaked up the surroundings until reality dawned and brought me back to my living nightmare.

‘I cannot get my head around how Cashman continued to shoot after hearing the terrified screams and utter devastation he had caused. He doesn’t care. His actions have left the biggest hole in our lives.

‘That man set out to do a job and he didn’t care about anyone else or who got in the way. He certainly couldn’t own it either.

‘All that promise for her future so cruelly taken away. Now I have to drive to the cemetery to be close to my baby daughter. I tell her she will live on in my heart, she will always be with us. My little shadow.’

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