A man who sold cannabis for Thomas Cashman today told a jury his "mate" is "innocent" of the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel.
Nicholas McHale, 32, gave evidence from behind screens at Manchester Crown Court after being called as a witness by Cashman's legal team. Cashman, 34, is standing trial accused of nine-year-old Olivia's murder in Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, on August 22 last year.
Olivia died when a bullet passed through the front door of her family home, hit her mum, Cheryl Korbel, in the wrist and struck her in the chest. The gunman had been chasing convicted drug-dealer and burglar Joseph Nee, who barged into the Korbel home while fleeing for his life.
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Today Professor John Cooper, KC, defending, asked Mr McHale how he knew Cashman. Mr McHale said he had known Cashman "all me life" and added: "Over the past two or three years we’ve got really close."
Mr McHale said he had rented out his home on Snowberry Road to Cashman while he stayed with his cousin in Lark Lane for a while, but in around 2021 Mr McHale wanted to return home.
He said: "[Cashman] had found a place with his missus and the kids. I was struggling financially. He sold cannabis on a high level, so I asked is there any chance I could make any money. Can I start selling cannabis, basically. He wanted to store cannabis in me house. I fully agreed.”
Mr McHale told the jury on the evening of August 22 he watched a Manchester United vs Liverpool football match at home in Snowberry Road with a friend, Paul McCarthy. The jury has heard the match ended around 10 minutes before Olivia was shot dead at 10pm.
Cashman has told the jury he was with his friend Craig Byrne, who lives opposite Mr McHale, counting £10,000 cash and smoking cannabis at the time Olivia was killed.
Mr McHale told the jury he went to his front door for a cigarette shortly after full time, which he estimated was around 9.50 to 9.55pm, and saw Cashman and Mr Byrne outside. Mr McHale said Cashman asked him how he was, and he replied he was "stressed about the football."
He told the jury Cashman, who "wasn't into football", laughed at him for being stressed before Mr McHale went back into his house.
David McLachlan, KC, prosecuting, cross examined Mr McHale. He asked: "Why are you here Mr McHale?”
Mr McHale replied: “Because I know Thomas Cashman is innocent.”
Mr McLachlan asked: “Were you put up to being here?
Mr McHale said he had not been.
Mr McLachlan has told the jury the gunman, who he alleges was Cashman, lay in wait for around half an hour before approaching Nee on Kingsheath Avenue and opening fire. Cashman denies any involvement in the shootings.
CCTV recorded three loud bangs and showed how Nee, struck in the midriff, fell to the ground. However the jury heard he may have been saved by one of the guns, a 9mm handgun, "malfunctioning" as the killer seemed about to finish him off.
Olivia was rushed to nearby Alder Hey Children's Hospital by two police officers who arrived on scene a short time later, but was pronounced dead at 11.24pm that night.
As well as denying Olivia's murder, Cashman denies the attempted murder of Nee, as well as wounding Cheryl Korbel with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. He also pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, namely a 9mm calibre self-loading pistol and a 0.3 calibre revolver.
The trial continues.
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