Olivia Pratt-Korbel: I'm a dad not a killer, murder-accused says

Thomas Cashman previously told the jury he was making between £3,000 and £5,000 a week selling cannabis

The man accused of killing Olivia Pratt-Korbel told a court "I'm a dad, I'm not a killer".

A gunman shot nine-year-old Olivia and injured her mother, Cheryl Korbel, after chasing a convicted drug dealer into their Liverpool home in August.

Thomas Cashman, 34, who denies the charges, appeared emotional as he gave evidence at his murder trial.

He told a court he was counting £10,000 in cash and smoking drugs around the time of the shooting.

Jurors at Manchester Crown Court have heard Olivia and her 46-year-old mother were shot after a gunman chased Joseph Nee into their house in the Dovecot area of the city at about 22:00 BST on 22 August.

Asked by John Cooper KC, defending, if he had committed any of the offences he was accused of, he said: "No, I did not."

His voice broke as he added: "I am getting the blame for something I haven't done.

"I didn't do it and I'm getting the blame for it.

"I'm getting blamed for killing a child and I have got my own children.

"I'm a dad, I'm not a killer.

"I'm getting blamed for something I haven't done."

Mr Cashman, who on Tuesday admitted being a "high-level cannabis dealer", said at about 21:15 on the night of the shooting he had been picked up by a friend called Craig Byrne.

He said they went to Mr Byrne's house to count out £10,000 in cash.

"We counted money then went downstairs, I done myself a spliff in the kitchen, went in the back garden and was having just a general chit-chat with Craig," he told the court.

Mr Cashman said when he later went into the front garden of the house in Snowberry Road, he could hear sirens and was told by someone there were "police everywhere".

Olivia was shot when a gunman burst into her house and opened fire

Jurors have previously heard from a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who had a brief relationship with father-of-two Mr Cashman.

She alleged he went to her house after the shooting, where she said he changed his clothes and she heard him saying he had "done Joey".

Asked whether at any stage he had confessed, Mr Cashman said: "No, I did not, she's trying to ruin my life.

"She is trying to ruin my life because, for one thing, I won't leave my partner for her. There's loads of reasons."

Mr Cashman also claimed the woman's boyfriend owed him a £25,000 drug debt so she wanted him "out of the way".

Under cross-examination, the defendant, wearing a blue V-neck jumper with shirt and tie, accepted he made up to £250,000 a year from selling cannabis but refused to reveal who he bought it from or sold it to.

He said: "I'm getting stitched up for murder of a child that I did not commit. I didn't do it."

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Defending, John Cooper KC went through Mr Cashman's movements, caught on CCTV and doorbell cameras, on the day of Olivia's murder.

Prosecutors allege he walked and travelled in his van around the area ahead of a plan to find Nee and execute a "hit".

Thomas Cashman has started giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court

But Mr Cashman denied this, saying his movements were instead to do with his cannabis dealing - dropping off drugs and collecting money at various addresses in Dovecot and sometimes "socialising" by having a spliff with friends.

Mr Cooper asked him: "It's suggested that the purpose of your movements was not for the reason you say, but either for the reason of executing a hit or planning a hit?"

Mr Cashman replied: "No, that's not true whatsoever. What you see here is typical of a local lad who sells cannabis in the area."

The defendant, of Grenadier Drive, 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.