Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s mother walked out of court as the man accused of her daughter’s murder watched CCTV of the shooting and denied being involved.
Thomas Cashman is accused of killing the nine-year-old in Liverpool last August as he chased a convicted drug dealer.
He denied the suggestion he was in a “murder frame of mind” on the night of the shooting, as he gave evidence for a third day.
Shown CCTV of the suspect walking along a road in the Dovecot area, Cashman said: “That’s not me. I’m telling the genuine truth, that’s not me.”
Loud gun shots – as well as the gunman – could be heard when video of the shooting was later shown at Manchester Crown Court.
It showed the chase and three shots being fired in the street – while a fourth shot was heard in a separate clip.
“I did not kill a little girl,” said Cashman, 34, as he once again denied being the person pictured.
Prosecutor David McLachlan KC asked him: “You’re not prepared to own this?”
“I did not do it, that’s why,” he replied.
Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel, who was injured in the shooting, walked out of court following the denial.
Cashman was also asked why he had left his house at about 8.30pm on the day of the shooting.
He said he couldn’t say why, but denied the suggestion he was “starting to get excited” about the prospect of carrying out a murder.
Witness a ‘woman scorned’
He was also cross-examined about his time on a road in Dovecot where a van belonging to the target of the shooting, Joseph Nee, was parked.
“I’m not scoping anyone out,” he told the court.
Cashman insisted he was friends with Nee and said he was with him at his mother’s house the day before Olivia’s killing.
“Everyone was laughing and joking,” he said.
He also repeated denials that he did not visit the home of a key prosecution witness on the night of the shooting.
Cashman told the court she had told a “load of blatant lies” and was a “woman scorned” after they’d had a fling.
He was giving evidence for a third day and has previously admitted being a “high-level” cannabis dealer who made thousands each week.
He spoke again about his drug dealing during Thursday’s hearing, telling the jury: “I’m not a bad drug dealer who sells Class A drugs, I don’t do anything bad.
“I sell cannabis in my local area whereabouts I grew up. Some people might look at that as a bad thing because a drug dealer’s a drug dealer…”
Cashman denies murdering Olivia, the attempted murder of Joseph Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Olivia’s mother, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
The trial continues.
