Summary

  • Day 15 of the trial of four people accused of murdering Jodie Chesney, 17.

  • Jodie Chesney murder accused 'unaware' of stabbing

  • Court heard killer targeted the 'wrong people'

  • Jodie was stabbed to death while with friends in Harold Hill 1 March

  • Manuel Petrovic, 20, and Svenson Ong-a-kwie, 19, deny murder

  • Two boys aged 16 and 17, also deny killing Jodie

Live Reporting

Thomas Mackintosh and Chirag Trivedi

  1. 'Svenson came looking for me after fatal stabbing'

    Flowers at crime scenePA Media

    While in custody, Manuel Petrovic made some handwritten police statements which Miss Forshaw is now referencing.

    She asks Mr Petrovic about a sentence where he said that on 3 March "people were already looking for me".

    "My sister told me that someone knocked on the door looking for me," Mr Petrovic said.

    "He gave his name as 'S' - which was how I knew Svenson.

    "My mum had described it to my sister what he looked like. He said he was trying to get hold of me."

  2. 'I made no comment interviews for the sake of my family'

    Manuel Petrovic and Svenson Ong-a-KwieJulia Quenzler

    When Manuel Petrovic was arrested in Leicester he told jurors "there were police everywhere".

    "They arrested me for the murder of Jodie Chesney," the 20-year-old told the court.

    "I knew that from 1 March I had been involved in taking two of my co-defendants to the park."

    He said he was very scared and angry and Mr Ong-a-Kwie because he was the one that asked him for a lift.

    Miss Forshaw asked Mr Petrovic if Svenson Ong-a-Kwie told him about what happened in the park.

    "No he has never admitted that to me," he replied.

    "I made no comment interviews for the sake of my family. I was represented by ABV solicitors."

  3. Manuel Petrovic leaves London to go to Leicester

    Map of Leicester to London

    Manuel Petrovic realised that his black Vauxhall Corsa was no longer in Elvet Avenue on 3 March.

    The 20-year-old said he went to his sister's house and said he "had no idea" of Svenson Ong-a-Kwie's movements.

    "I told her about the robbery," Mr Petrovic told jurors. "And in so far I had messed up by taking two people to the park that I think had done something

    "I was scared I had taken two people to the park," he told the court.

    The following day, Mr Petrovic said it was his other sister's idea to go to Leicester.

    Mr Petrovic said he went to a betting shop to hide from people he thought were following him.

    "I thought I'd have a spin and I got lucky," he said.

    As Mr Petrovic came out of the William Hill he says he was attacked by one of his ex-girlfriend's dad called Lee.

    He added: "Sometime later I left to go to Leicester. I gave my phone to the 16-year-old boy."

  4. 'Svenson was acting suspiciously in the alleyway'

    crime scene parkPA Media

    Making reference to the meet in the alleyway, Sarah Forshaw has asked Manuel Petrovic about a claim Svenson Ong-a-Kwie wanted to give Mr Petrovic his phone.

    "He asked me to hold his phone because he was going for a meal," Mr Petrovic said. "He was wearing a white shirt.

    "I said, 'no' because I was suspicious about what happened the other night. I gave the excuse that I'd been robbed.

    "I had taken him to St Neot's Road and brought him a change of clothes. At the time I was sure he would tell me but at the time he was acting suspiciously.

    "I did think he was involved."

    Mr Petrovic said the 16-year-old defendant was "pressured" into taking Mr Ong-a-Kwie's phone.

    "I then spent the night with my girlfriend at the time called Amber," he added.

    "She was going on holiday, so I said I'd spend the 2 March with her.

    "She was really drunk at one point before she was with me.

    "I picked her up about 22:30, stayed with her until 3 March at about 16:00."

  5. 'I thought there might be blood in the car'

    Manuel Petrovic said after meeting Svenson Ong-a-Kwie in the alleyway, he did not see him again until the two were remanded in custody at Belmarsh Prison ahead of this murder trial.

    Miss Forshaw asked Mr Petrovic about his movements after that meeting, and the 20-year-old said he "bought some spray for the car".

    "What did you hope to remove," Miss Forshaw said.

    "I thought there might be blood in the car," Mr Petrovic replied. "I didn't see any.

    "I was scared I was involved with something I did not know about."

    Mr Petrovic said he showed the newspaper report to the 16-year-old boy, who was also in the car which went to Amy's Park.

    "He was shocked and puzzled as to what had happened," Mr Petrovic added.

  6. 'I quizzed Svenson about Jodie's murder'

    crime sceneMet Police

    After seeing the online article, Manuel Petrovic said he "put two and two together" that he drove to Amy's Park and gave Svenson Ong-a-Kwie a change of clothes.

    He said he became suspicious when he saw the 19-year-old later on 2 March.

    "I saw Svenson at about 13:00," Mr Petrovic told jurors. "I saw Svenson in the alleyway.

    "I got out the cab, approached Svenson and asked him if he had seen the news. He said he hadn't seen the news.

    "I asked him again about the 17-year-old girl that had been stabbed. I asked him about the change of clothes and the park.

    "He said 'I don't know what the **** you are talking about."

    "I was scared at the time, I knew I had brought him clothes and to the park the day before.

    "He looked to one side and said, 'I don't know what you were going on about'."

  7. 'I was alerted to Jodie's murder by Romford Recorder'

    Flowers at crime scenePA media

    Manuel Petrovic has told jurors about what happened after the keys to his Vauxhall Corsa were taken from him in Elvet Avenue.

    The 20-year-old contacted Svenson Ong-a-Kwie to say he "had just had a madness of my own, just been robbed and set up".

    Mr Petrovic previously explained to jurors on Friday that "having a madness" meant someone "had a problem".

    He said he went to a friend's house, along with the 16-year-old boy, "to smoke some weed".

    Mr Petrovic said he got home at about 04:00 GMT on 2 March. "I believe I went to sleep about 05:00, I had an alert which I thought was from Snapchat but it was an alert from the Romford Recorder from my friend's mum's phone.

    "It was about 07:00."

    Sarah Forshaw QC has now brought up the Romford Recorder article which Mr Petrovic is referring too.

  8. Jury back into court

    The twelve jurors are back into court after some had a "few issues" getting to the Old Bailey this morning.

    Judge Wendy Joseph QC is in her seat overlooking the court and there are at least 20 people in the public gallery watching Manuel Petrovic continue to give evidence.

  9. Here's what Manuel Petrovic told jurors on Friday

    Manuel Petrovic and Sarah Forshaw QCJulia Quenzler

    Manuel Petrovic being questioned by Sarah Forshaw QC

    Manuel Petrovic told jurors he was born in Germany to parents who were originally from Croatia.

    He has spent most of his life living in the UK adding that his parents split up when he was a young teenager.

    The 20-year-old said he was once supposed to have been scouted by West Ham United, but "fell in with the wrong crowd" and would "bunk off school".

    He attended two pupil referral units in Hornchurch and in Romford, but left school with no formal qualifications or GCSEs.

    Mr Petrovic said he became a drug dealer in the Collier Row and Romford areas of east London selling cannabis and cocaine to clients.

    On the afternoon of 1 March Mr Petrovic met with Svenson Ong-a-Kwie and a 17-year-old defendant met at a cafe in Romford and had food together.

    Mr Petrovic said Mr Ong-a-Kwie asked him for a lift to Harold Hill to pick up some class A drugs.

    After arriving at the park, Mr Ong-a-Kwie and the 17-year-old defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, got out of the car.

    Mr Petrovic said he stayed in his car "turned off the lights" and smoked "the joint I had in my hand" with loud music playing.

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie and the 17-year-old defendant did not give "any hint that something violent" had happened when they returned to the car, he said.

    A few hours later Mr Ong-a-Kwie called him to say he had "had a madness" and needed a change of clothes, the court heard.

    Mr Petrovic claimed his car was stolen later the same night as he went to drop off some drugs in a housing estate.

    His car was found abandoned on Elvet Avenue by police - around two miles away from the scene where Jodie was stabbed.

    Crime scene at Amy's ParkMet Police

  10. Who is Sarah Forshaw QC?

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC London News

    Sarah Forshaw QC, Manuel Petrovic's defence barrister is regarded as a top criminal lawyer.

    In 2016 she was involved in thesuccessful prosecution of undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood- otherwise known as the 'fake sheikh'.

    Miss Forshaw became a member of the Queen's Counsel in 2008 having been called to the bar in 1987.

    She has also been involved in high-profile trials such as sexual allegations against publicist Max Clifford and the defence of one of the 19 boys on trial for the murder of 15-year-old schoolboySofyen Belamouadden who was stabbed to death at Victoria train station in March 2010.

  11. A recap of what happened last week

    The trial only sat for one full day last week and the morning of Thursday 10 October - due to juror commitments and a sick juror on one of the days.

    On Thursday, Crispin Aylett QC finished the prosecution's case against the four people accused of killing Jodie Chesney - Manuel Petrovic, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie and two teenage boys who cannot be named for legal reasons.

    Crime scene flowersPA Media

    On Friday 11 October, Manuel Petrovic was the first defendant to go into the witness box.

    He was questioned by his defence barrister Sarah Forshaw QC who asked the 20-year-old about his time growing up in east London and also about his movements on the night Jodie was killed.

  12. Welcome

    Old BaileyGetty Images

    The Jodie Chesney murder trial is now into its fifth week.

    Last week, the prosecution concluded its case and the first of the four males accused of murdering the 17-year-old girl - Manuel Petrovic - started his defence case.

    We will be bringing you all the latest updates from the Old Bailey as Mr Petrovic continues to give evidence.