Witness who had 'fling' with man accused of murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel denies lying about him to police

A witness who had a "fling" with the man accused of killing nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel has denied lying about him to police.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, became involved in heated exchanges with the lawyer defending Thomas Cashman at the start of the second week of his trial at Manchester Crown Court.

Cashman, 34, is accused of murdering Olivia and injuring her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, at their home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on 22 August 2022.

He is alleged to have been chasing another man, Joseph Nee, into Olivia's home and firing his gun, missing Nee and hitting the mother and daughter.

The female witness implicated Cashman by telling police after the shooting that he had gone to her home where he changed his clothes, the jury was told last week.

The woman, who was sat in the witness box with a curtain shielding her from public view, also claimed she heard Cashman say he had "done Joey", the court has been told.

John Cooper KC, defending, suggested to the witness that Cashman had used her for sex and this had made her tell lies to police to "ruin" him.

He said: "Central to your dishonest evidence in this court is you with Thomas Cashman.

"Made you want to ruin him?"

She replied: "No. Ruin him... you find out what you find out.

"I have had to do what I have had to do for a little girl here. I have had to go through a lot of pain, to think about what Tommy done."

Mr Cooper continued: "About the time of this tragic killing, you were angry, resentful and vindictive."

"I was not," she replied.

"I certainly didn't want a relationship with a thug with a little willy."

She added: "I have not been asked one question about a nine-year-old girl who lost her life. That little girl can't go home, so I'm passionate about that.

"Let's get to the good bits. Why not ask about the shooting?"

Mr Cooper replied: "Good bits? Because we say you are a liar."

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The witness said she had not initially told police about having a "fling" with Cashman because she was "petrified".

She said: "I have not got family. I was petrified. Absolutely petrified.

"Thomas Cashman has done what he's done and he can't own it, love."

At one point during the exchanges, the judge Mrs Justice Yip asked the witness to look at her, to take a moment and to calm down.

Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, Liverpool, denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of 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 continues.