Suspected Olivia Pratt-Korbel killer branded among 'most hated people' in UK by own lawyer
Thomas Cashman's lawyer said his client, who stands accused of murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel, is one of Britain's most hated people.
The man accused of murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel is “probably one of the most hated people in the country” according to his own defence lawyer. Thomas Cashman, 34, stands accused of shooting and killing nine-year-old Olivia in August 2022.
His defence lawyer, Professor John Cooper KC, recommenced his closing statement this morning at Manchester Crown Court after jurors heard the final argument made by prosecutor David McLachlan KC yesterday.
Resuming his speech, Mr Cooper told the jury: “I know you will consider both sides of the arguments. The evidence cries out for your not guilty verdicts because the prosecution have not proved their case.”
Yesterday Mr McLachlan said to jurors: “We say, but you will decide, that Thomas Cashman must think you were all born yesterday.
“Fortunately, you were not. Every day, you have brought something with you in bucket loads - a vital commodity which the pros say he cannot deal with.”
He continued: “You know better than anyone else when someone is trying to pull the wool over your eyes.
Mr McLachlan argued Cashman shot and killed Olivia when he was pursuing another man, Joseph Nee.
He told the court that Cashman shot at Mr Nee “three times with a self-loading pistol, before the gun probably jammed, then shot at him twice more”.
It was then claimed that Mr Nee somehow escaped but was still being pursued by Cashman.
The gunman, after Mr Nee’s escape, switched to another weapon, a revolver, and fired two shots, one of which killed Olivia Pratt-Korbel, the other injured her mother Cheryl Korbel.
This morning Mr Cooper, defending his client, said this morning: “When we’re talking about having wool pulled over eyes, it’s a prosecution soundbite that sounds good out there on the streets.
“You’re in here, doing your professional job. We’re interested in the evidence.”
In a barb directed at the prosecution, Mr Cooper said: “The temerity to even ask you to consider it’s the defence pulling the wool over your eyes is astounding.
“These suggestions are easy to make, because the defendant is sitting in the dock - probably one of the most hated people in the country.
“Convict him, let’s move on, close the book. Members of the jury, we ask you to quality control what the prosecution are suggesting to you.”
The defence disputed that there was any “bad blood” between Cashman and Mr Nee, the man who the prosecution said the defendant was pursuing with his gun.
Among other arguments, the defence also said that Cashman was 6ft tall, significantly taller than the 5ft 8 a witness claimed the shooter was.
The jury was told they must decide, on the basis of the evidence, whether Cashman was the gunman who fired those shots at the three victims - Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Cheryl Korbel and Joseph Nee.
The trial continues.
