A 34-year-old man was found guilty by a British court on Thursday of murdering a 9-year-old child who was killed by a stray bullet at his home in Liverpool, northern England, where a drug dealer was taking refuge.
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Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed on August 22nd.
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His mother had opened the front door after hearing a noise in the street. A man had then been devoured, followed by a second who had fired indiscriminately.
A bullet first injured the 46-year-old mother’s hand before hitting the little girl behind her in the chest.
His death – then the third fatal shooting in the city in a week – shocked and sparked calls to step up the fight against guns and organized crime.
Defendant Thomas Cashman admitted to being a “high profile” cannabis dealer but denied being the shooter.
He failed to convince the jury, who after a three-week trial in Manchester found him guilty of the girl’s murder, of the attempted murder of the suspect. He was also found guilty of injuring the child’s mother and possessing weapons.
A woman who had an affair with the defendant, a key witness in the case, told jurors he fled to her home after the fact and heard her say he “did Joey.”
Thomas Cashman accused her of lying and wanting to “ruin her life”.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Monday.