Reward of £200,000 being offered to catch killer of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel

21 September 2022, 14:35 | Updated: 21 September 2022, 15:46

A reward of £200,000 is being offered by Crimestoppers for information in the hunt for the killer of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel.

It is the biggest single reward offer in charity's history.

A £100,000 sum was offered by a private donor, and the charity's founder Lord Ashcroft has matched that for the biggest single reward offer in its history.

The nine-year-old died after being shot at her home in Knotty Ash in Liverpool last month.

Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was injured as a gunman chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into their property at about 10pm.

Merseyside Police have arrested nine men as part of their investigation into her death but all have since been bailed.

Read more: “I will never say goodbye”: Mother’s heartbreaking tribute as mourners gather for funeral of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, 9

Read more: Golf course search for gun that killed Olivia Pratt-Korbel

Lord Ashcroft said: "This case has been incredibly shocking, not just for those who are directly affected, but also for Liverpool and the nation as a whole.

"I am delighted that with the support of a private donor, Crimestoppers can now offer a record £200,000 for information to catch Olivia's killer."

Giving an update on the case, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen said: "I recognise that people will wonder and question why no one has been charged despite those arrests.

"If I could reassure you that this is normal practice in any complex investigation, the threshold for arresting somebody is far lower than that of charging someone. Please be patient with us. The investigation is progressing.

"The detectives involved in bringing justice for Olivia and her family are working tirelessly with real care and passion to achieve the objective of securing those charges against everyone involved in her murder. No matter how small their role."

Officers in the investigation have worked more than 15,000 hours, trawled through thousands of hours of CCTV and investigated more than 400 piece of intelligence passed on by the public.

Mr Kameen added that the man who was chased and shot by the killer remained in hospital.

The weapon used was revealed as a .38 revolver, with a second gun in the case being a Glock self-loading 9mm pistol, used in three incidents on Merseyside in last few years.

Police believe that the Glock is still being stored in the Dovecot area and have asked the public to tell them where it is.

Mr Kameen explained: "Clearly the gunman doesn't want us to find these guns because it may link him back to them and thereby Olivia's murder.

"However, and as I have already stated in previous press conferences, this man is utterly toxic to our communities.

"Nobody wants this man around them or where they live. Nobody wants to be associated with him.

"Some people may tolerate him through fear, but even those people, given the choice, would want him locked away.

"With your support we can make this happen."

Crimestoppers' chief executive, Mark Hallas, earlier said: "If you're too scared to speak to the police, please remember that our charity, Crimestoppers, is here to help you do the right thing.

"Tell Crimestoppers what you know whilst staying completely anonymous. Please understand: Crimestoppers has kept its promise to protect your identity since we started back in the late 1980s."

People can contact Crimestoppers anonymously us via its website or on 0800 555 111.