Man targeted by Olivia Pratt-Korbel killer hid cannabis in underwear

Joseph Nee was ambushed in the incident that led to the death of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel

A man who was the intended target in the killing of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel has been found in breach of a gang injunction and fined for possessing cannabis, a court has heard.

Joseph Nee, 37, appeared in Liverpool Crown Court for sentence after officers found cannabis in his underwear during a strip search in July.

He was fined £60.

Convicted drug dealer Nee had initially been charged with assaulting a police officer and public order offences.

However he pleaded not guilty and those charges were dropped after it emerged he had already received a suspended prison term over the same incident in Liverpool County Court, as it also put him in breach of the terms of a gang injunction.

Olivia Pratt-Korbel was standing behind her mum, Cheryl Korbel, when they were both struck

The injunction had been imposed by the civil courts after an application by Merseyside Police in May, 2023, aimed at restricting Nee's potential involvement in gang activity.

Zahra Baqri, prosecuting, said the Crown had reviewed the case after information about the civil proceedings came to light and had agreed to offer no evidence on the assault charge and withdraw the public order charge.

Ms Baqri told the court Nee was strip-searched at a police station after his arrest on 12 July, and officers found a bag of cannabis in his underwear.

The prosecutor said he had five previous convictions for possessing cannabis, among a "raft of other offences".

Louise Santamera, defending Nee, described the seizure as a "relatively small amount".

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Judge Brandon said the offence was aggravated by Nee's "appalling antecedent record", and advised him "I would keep my nose clean if I were you".

Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed after Nee was chased into her home in Dovecot, Liverpool on the evening of 22 August 2022 by another drug dealer, Thomas Cashman.

Cashman opened fire at about 22:00 GMT that night with a Glock handgun, wounding Nee and causing him to fall to the ground in an incident captured on CCTV.

However that gun "malfunctioned", giving Nee the opportunity to scramble to his feet and flee.

Thomas Cashman was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 42 years for murder

Nee noticed that Olivia's mum, Cheryl Korbel, had stepped out of her front door to see what was going on outside, and ran into the house with Cashman in close pursuit.

Cashman, who was armed with a second weapon, a revolver, fired a shot through the front door which struck Ms Korbel in the wrist before hitting Olivia in the chest.

Cashman denied he was the gunman but was convicted of Olivia's murder, the attempted murder of Nee and wounding Ms Korbel with intent.

Cashman was jailed for life with a minimum term of 42 years in prison in April, 2023.