Crimestoppers is offering £200,000 for information about the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel.
The record award will go to anyone that provides information leading to the conviction of those responsible. A £100,000 sum was offered by a private donor, and the charity's founder Lord Ashcroft has matched the amount, creating the single biggest reward offer in history.
Olivia Pratt-Korbel died after a masked gunman opened fire as he chased a convicted burglar through the door of the home she shared with her mother and two older siblings in Dovecot, Liverpool. Her death on August 22 followed months of growing tensions in the area and is thought to have been the latest incident in a series of tit-for-tat gang attacks.
READ MORE: ITV This Morning viewers express concern for Holly Willoughby as she breaks show tradition
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.”
The shooting happened during a struggle as the gunman chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into Olivia's home. The gunman shot Olivia's mother Cheryl Korbel in the wrist as she tried to shut the door and her daughter suffered a fatal shot to her chest.
Nine people have so far been arrested in connection with Olivia's murder, but no charges have been brought. Merseyside Police continue to appeal for more information so they can "build a strong evidential picture".
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Merseyside 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.
People can contact Crimestoppers anonymously us via its website or on 0800 555 111.
Mourners gathered for the schoolgirl's funeral last week, where people were asked to wear a splash of pink in Olivia's memory. Her nearby school was also adorned in pink decorations, and uniformed police officers attended, while hundreds of local residents gathered in the road outside.
READ NEXT:
- Eamonn Holmes makes another public dig at Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield after concerning fans
- Domino's trolls Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield after their 'non-apology' outrages fans
- Susanna Reid shares Queen's telling decision before death after suffering loss of one of her corgis
- ITV This Morning's Clodagh McKenna suffers repeated blunder talking about the Queen alongside her husband after attending funeral
- ITV This Morning's Vanessa Feltz breaks down in tears during Queen's funeral broadcast after suffering personal loss and baby joy
