Cowardly criminals who refuse to attend their sentencing hearings to be handed harsher sentences

Criminals who refuse to attend their sentencing hearings can be given further prison time following a successful campaign by the mother of murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

Olivia was shot by gunman Thomas Cashman as he chased another drug dealer who ran into her family home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22, 2022.

Cashman would not come up from the cells for his sentencing at Manchester Crown Court and did not hear the victim impact statement of Olivia’s mother, Cheryl Korbel.

Ms Korbel had said she wanted to ‘look him in the eye’ when he was jailed for a minimum of 42 years in April 2023.

She called for the introduction of Olivia’s Law to compel criminals to appear in the dock for sentencing.

Part of the Victims and Courts Bill, the legislation has been given royal assent which is the final step required for a parliamentary Bill to become law.

Judges will be given the power to sentence offenders to more custodial time for avoiding facing justice.

For offenders who already face lengthy imprisonment or whole-life orders, judges could also impose a range of prison punishments on offenders such as being stripped of privileges.

A statement on the website of charity Olivia’s Butterfly Foundation, set up by her family, said: ‘We have done it. Olivia’s Law is law.

‘Endless days, endless weeks of campaigning with family and friends, endless interviews and TV appearances, trips back and forth to London and Parliament.

‘Olivia’s Law will ensure that no other families are stripped of their opportunities to begin their journey of justice and closure.

‘The justice system will see victims and their families and their needs put first before the desires of criminals.

‘We are so proud that Olivia’s name will be making a difference for years and years to come and I know that whichever silver-lined cloud she is perched on tonight she will be looking down on us all beaming with pride. (And probably telling everyone how famous she is).

‘Thank you – from the bottom of our hearts. Without every ounce of support we have received in every form we truly wouldn’t have got here without it.

‘Cheers to Olivia’s Law and forever making a difference.’

Cashman refused to appear in the dock to be sentenced to life imprisonment after a jury found him guilty of shooting and killing Olivia in her home. 

He was aiming at drug dealer Joseph Nee who had run into the house moments before Olivia was shot.

Cashman opened fire, hitting Olivia’s mother in the wrist as she tried to keep the door shut on Nee, with the same bullet then killing her daughter.

The murderer did not face Olivia’s family at Manchester Crown Court, whining about CPS lawyers turning his trial into a ‘circus’ because they had celebrated putting him behind bars. 

Cashman was branded a ‘coward’ for his refusal to come into Manchester Crown Court to be sentenced and face Olivia’s family.  

Jailing him, Mrs Justice Yip said the killer was ‘not of previous good character’, had made it clear he was a criminal and had ‘demonstrated no remorse’ during his trial.

She added: ‘His failure to come into court is further evidence of that.’

In January, Sir Keir Starmer promised to give judges powers to force criminals to appear in the dock after meeting with Olivia’s mother. 

The Prime Minister said the Government ‘will legislate on this at the first chance’. 

During their meeting, Sir Keir said: ‘It’s really important to meet today because we met 17 months ago and I said two things: we will support the previous government on this, and if we get into power, we’ll make sure this happens.

‘That’s the promise I made to you and it’s a promise I’m going to keep, and that’s why this forthcoming legislation is so important. 

‘We have put this in the first King’s Speech so we will legislate on this at the first chance and we should have it before the summer.’