'Brave' ex-partner came forward to help convict Thomas Cashman

Police have praised the "bravery" of a key prosecution witness in the trial of Thomas Cashman.

The woman, who was given anonymity, told Manchester Crown Court that Cashman came to her house after the shooting in which Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine, was killed as the defendant chased Joseph Nee.

The woman, who had a short relationship with Cashman, said she heard him say he had "done Joey".

Detective Superintendent Mark Baker, of Merseyside Police, said: "We hoped and prayed, through our witness appeal, that a witness of this nature would come forward.

"She showed incredible bravery. Probably in my 30-year service, I've never seen such bravery."

The court heard that other potential witnesses were unwilling to go to court and the prosecution applied for four witness summonses.

At a hearing held in Liverpool one week before the trial began, Mrs Justice Yip was told that witness Timothy Naylor had attended the building as ordered by the summons, but was refusing to go into the courtroom and would not give evidence because he was in fear of his life and the lives of his family.

She granted a warrant for his arrest and Mr Naylor was arrested and taken into court.

Henry Riding, prosecuting, said: "The officers took the view he is genuinely petrified of having to give evidence."

Mr Naylor later told the court he was "terrified".

The witness, who was watching football with Nee and Paul Abraham on the night of the shooting, was released after agreeing to attend Manchester Crown Court the following week if needed.

The court heard that, a week before the trial started, police had not been able to serve a summons to Mr Abraham because he was not at the address he had given to the court, which was where his family lived, but they said they had nothing to do with him.

The two other witnesses issued with summonses had been expected to give evidence about the flight of the gunman in the wake of the shooting in Kingsheath Avenue in Dovecot in August 2022.

By the time of the trial, the evidence of the four witnesses had been agreed so they were not required to attend court.