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The intended target of the horrific shooting that killed nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel allegedly shouted “please don't” before the schoolgirl was shot, a court has heard.

Jurors at Manchester Crown Court heard how Thomas Cashman, 34, allegedly killed the child and injured her mum and the intended target, Joseph Nee.

The court today (Thursday, March 9) heard a police interview with 41-year-old Paul Abraham, a friend of Nee's, detailing the night that Cashman fired shots into Olivia’s home in Liverpool on August 22 last year.

Mr Abraham said he and Nee, 36, were leaving the house of their friend Thomas Naylor, after watching a football match on the night of the shooting when they heard several loud bangs.

"Both of us ran. One must have got Joey,” Mr Abraham said.

"He fell over. I don't even know when he got shot, he just fell.

"As he rolled over I just basically jumped over him and went through a gate,” he added.

Mr Abraham saw Nee hurriedly running up the street, and the attacker, with two hands on what he thought was a gun, walking up the road.

The 46-year-old said: "As I was going up the entry he (Nee) was saying 'please don't', I heard him shouting 'please, don't'."

Mr Abraham, who said he was “running for [his life], thought he heard two further bangs as he jumped over fences of back gardens to get away.

Mr Naylor appeared to corroborate Paul’s account, saying he heard bangs and a male screaming shortly after Nee and Mr Abraham left the house.

He said: "I rang Paul after hearing the bangs.

"Paul was hysterical, sobbing on the phone and he couldn't get his words out.

"I knew something bad must have happened to him or Joey."

The jury were told that after Nee was shot, he ran towards the Olivia's house and was chased by his attacker, who fired through the front door, the court heard.

The bullet ended up fatally wounding Olivia in the chest after it hit her mum in the hand.

Cashman denies the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of Joseph Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Olivia's mum Cheryl Korbel, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The trial continues.

• Shooting
• Family
• Courts
• Crime

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