‘The violence has got to stop’: Mother of murdered Olivia Pratt-Korbel vows to crackdown on gangs and gun crime as she reveals plans for memorial garden tribute to her little girl

• Cheryl Korbel, 46, said she wanted ‘guns off the streets’ and to get rid of gangs
• She also revealed a memorial garden for murdered daughter Olivia Pratt-Korbel 

The grieving mother of murdered Olivia Pratt-Korbel has vowed to fight the gang culture and gun crime which led to her daughter’s death.

Cheryl Korbel, 46, today outlined her vision to get ‘guns off the streets’ and ‘get rid of gangs’ after her nine-year-old daughter Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s killer was jailed.

She said her ambition was to unite police, charities and the community to stop children going down ‘the wrong path’.

Miss Korbel also revealed plans for a memorial tribute garden for Olivia, who was murdered by Liverpudlian gangster Thomas Cashman, 34, when he burst into their home with a firearm in Dovecoat, Liverpool, last year.

Miss Korbel told the Mirror: ‘I want the guns to come off the streets and the violence to lessen, if not stop all together.

Cheryl Korbel (pictured), 46, today outlined her vision to get ‘guns off the streets’ and ‘get rid of gangs’ following the murder of her nine-year-old daughter Olivia Pratt-Korbel

Miss Korbel also revealed plans for a memorial tribute garden for Olivia (pictured), who was murdered by Liverpudlian gangster Thomas Cashman, 34, when he burst into their home with a firearm last year

‘We need to get rid of the gangs. Police, communities and charities need to get involved with kids more. We need to give kids opportunities.’

She added: ‘This garden will be in memory of Liv and somewhere for the kids to get together and be safe.’

Olivia was murdered when Cashman fired at fellow criminal Joseph Nee, who had forced his way into the home during a chase. A bullet passed through ­Miss Korbel’s hand and hit Olivia’s chest.

He was found guilty of murdering Olivia, attempting to murder Nee, and wounding Miss Korbel.

He was jailed for life with a minimum of 42 years at Manchester Crown Court but refused to leave his cell to hear his sentence.

Miss Korbel also said she wanted to see a law which would ‘force criminals to show up for sentencing’.

She added: ‘We were dragged right through that court case when we didn’t need to be. If he’d owned it from the beginning, we wouldn’t have had to be there. 

‘He was in that dock right through the trial and on the last day he said “I’m not going up”. It’s not fair.

‘Why should we go through all that and then he gets the option of not being there? It’s like a kick in the teeth. He’s just a coward – and that’s being polite.’

Miss Korbel also revealed a patch of land where Olivia and her friends used to play outside.

She hoped it will become a memorial garden which will give children somewhere to ‘play’.

Miss Korbell has asked people to donate to raise funds for the garden. You can donate here.

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