Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s murderer Thomas Cashman could have his 42-year prison sentence increased after complaints it was too lenient.

The Attorney General’s office has the sentence “under consideration” after referrals from members of the public.

The office has until 1 May – 28 days after Cashman’s sentencing on 3 April – to decide whether to refer the complaint to the Court of Appeal.

Judges there could upgrade his sentence to a whole life order, meaning he will die behind bars.

Cashman, 34, fired shots into nine-year-old Olivia’s family home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on 22 August last year, during what prosecutors described as a “ruthless pursuit” to execute another man.

He was found guilty of Olivia’s murder, and the wounding with intent of her mother, Cheryl Korbel. Cashman got 10 years for attacking Ms Korbel.

A jury also found him guilty of the attempted murder of Joseph Nee, a convicted drug dealer who he had chased into Olivia’s home before opening fire. Cashman was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 22 years for that offence.

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Cashman also got 18 years each for two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

All these terms will run concurrently, meaning Cashman will be aged in his mid-70s before he is even considered for parole.

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The trial at Manchester Crown Court heard Cashman admitted to operating as a “high-level” cannabis dealer in the Dovecot area.

Cashman had been “scoping out” Nee on the day of the murder, and lay in wait for him, armed with two guns as he watched a football match at a friend’s house.

In footage played to the jury, the gunman was seen chasing Nee up Kingsheath Avenue and firing three shots.

He then followed his target towards the open door of Olivia’s home, where Ms Korbel had come out to see what the noise was, and fired the fatal shot into the property.

The court heard Olivia had come down the stairs saying: “Mummy, I’m scared.”

The bullet hit Ms Korbel in the wrist as she tried to shut the door and struck Olivia in the chest. She died in hospital.

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