The day after Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he "arranged to meet" Manuel Petrovic in an alleyway before he went for dinner with his family.

Before Sarah Forshaw QC can finish her cross-examination, Judge Wendy Joseph QC reminds her of the time.

Miss Forshaw said it appears to be a "popular view" to finish for today and for Miss Forshaw to continue with her questioning of Mr Ong-a-Kwie tomorrow morning.

The jury has now risen and will return to court at 10:30.

Manuel Petrovic "knew the situation" Svenson Ong-a-Kwie has told the court.

"You can see that by the way he drives off," he said.

"He brought out a few pairs of jogging bottoms and some jumpers.

"If Manuel had no idea what had gone on, why would he bring me clothes?"

Image source, Met Police

Svenson Ong-a-Kwie was "taken by surprise" about what the 17-year-old boy had done in the park, he has told the court.

"I had nothing to do with what went on in the park," he said.

Ms Forshaw suggested to Mr Ong-a-Kwie nothing was said in the car when he and the teenager got back in the vehicle after Jodie Chesney was stabbed.

"So you are saying," Mr Ong-a-Kwie answered back to Miss Forshaw.

Mr Ong-a-Kwie said: "Some random person gets stabbed and we have nothing to say in the park?

"I did not stab Jodie Chesney."

Mr Ong-a-Kwie also rejected a suggestion he "quietly turned off his phone" as Manuel Petrovic drove away.

But the 19-year-old said Mr Petrovic offered to drop him off back at the hostel.

He added: "I was with the teenager and he is not allowed in my hostel."

Image source, PA Media

Despite arranging a lift with Manuel Petrovic, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie admitted he did not tell him that the 17-year-old defendant was with him.

Mr Ong-a-Kwie said: "I told him to go to Amy's Park and he took his own route.

"If I had directed him, we would have gone a totally different way if I am honest.

"We turned left on St Neot's Road and did not go anywhere near some shops."

Mr Ong-a-Kwie denied a suggestion he told Manuel Petrovic about "the beef" the 17-year-old had with the people he had earlier spotted at some nearby shops.

Sarah Forshaw QC said: "You are trying to wriggle out of any responsibility you have done."

"I haven't done anything," Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied.

Before going back to his hostel in Collier Row at 20:51 he had two more drug deals to make, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie told the court.

He went back to his home to collect "some weed and his phone" and was then picked up by Manuel Petrovic to be taken to Amy's Park.

"I was texting him when I was at Chippenham Road," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said.

"He agreed to take me to Harold Hill."

Sarah Forshaw QC asked: "When Manuel phoned you using his mother's phone you told him you wanted to pick up some yay [cocaine]."

"No I didn't," Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied denying a suggestion Manuel Petrovic would not have taken him to Harold Hill to sell two bags of cannabis.

"He did it all the time," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said.

Danny Shaw
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

It is illegal to take photographs in courtrooms or court buildings of anyone involved in the proceedings.

The law, which has been in place for almost 100 years, is still rigorously enforced.

The authorities believe that cameras could act as a distraction in court, intimidate witnesses and deter people from giving evidence.

There’s also a ban on making sketches in court, so artists have to draw from memory – making notes during hearings and completing their drawings away from the courtroom later.

Judge Wendy Joseph QC has asked Svenson Ong-a-Kwie to be more clear with his voice as he gives evidence.

Judge Joseph added: "Miss Forshaw is used to people not talking to her, talk to the jury."

Image source, Julia Quenzler

Image source, Julia Quenzler

Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, wearing a pink shirt and a grey tie, is back in the witness box continuing to be cross-examined by Sarah Forshaw QC.

Before 21:00 Mr Ong-a-Kwie said he was still in a taxi dealing drugs to his various customers.

The 19-year-old said he and the 17-year-old defendant "bumped into" a man known as "Dreads".

Miss Forshaw asked: "He is the reason you ask to go back to Harold Hill at about 21:00."

Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied: "Yes."

The jury are back in their jury box and the trial is resuming in courtroom eight.

There are around 20 people up in the public gallery watching the rest of this afternoon's evidence.

Members of Jodie Chesney's family are sat at the back of the court - including the 17-year-old's father Peter Chesney and her uncle Terry Chesney.

The jury have gone into their room for their mid-afternoon break.

Svenson Ong-a-Kwie is back in the dock with the three other defendants.

Judge Wendy Joseph QC has adjourned the case for 30 minutes.

In the lead up to the fatal stabbing of Jodie Chesney, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie sent hundreds of messages advertising drugs for sale.

At about 13:45 BST Mr Ong-a-Kwie said he sent "about 300" messages advertising "Pineapple Express" as a "deal of the day" - as well as some cocaine.

Earlier in the trial, the jury were told that "Pineapple Express" was a strain of cannabis.

Mr Ong-a-Kwie said he kept all his drugs in his hostel and not at his mum's address in Harold Hill.

"In the cafe," Sarah Forshaw QC said. "You spent a lot of time on your phone.

"During the course of that day, you and Manuel went your separate ways."

Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied: "Yes that's correct."

The boy, 17, made the comment after Jodie Chesney was stabbed in the back in a park, a court hears.

Image source, PA Media

Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he first became aware of Jodie Chesney's death at about 04:00 GMT on 2 March.

The 19-year-old said he went to the home of the 17-year-old defendant and one of two girls, who were also in the home, read out news of Jodie's murder.

"We could not talk about it. This was a big secret.

"I did not do anything, so it was not dangerous for me.

"We were given the clothes at Lawn's Park and then we went to Barking.

"I can't remember what was exactly said. I know I asked him questions about it but he didn't have much answers.

"When we were in the car his aura was different. He was not talking much."

Image source, PA Media

For the next two nights Svenson Ong-a-Kwie told the jury he stayed with the 17-year-old defendant at his home in Barking.

Ms Forshaw made a point to Mr Ong-a-Kwie that he "stayed with the teenager" who "he said stabbed someone in the park without any warning."

Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied: "He thought it was somebody else.

"I have heard the name Tash before 1 March.

"I was aware that he was someone he had problems with.

"Who he has problems is who he has problems with, do you know what I mean?

"I do not know who Tash is. If you put him in front of me right now I could not tell you who he is."

For the first time during this trial Svenson Ong-a-Kwie has told the jury on the night of 2 March he stayed at a Premier Inn in Romford with his girlfriend.

Ms Forshaw asked the 19-year-old for details.

"I'd rather not say my girlfriend's name," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said.

"I'd rather not say so her name is not in the media.

"We had to check out around 11:00. I went back to the hostel and had a spliff.

"This made me more paranoid so I went for a walk.

"I remember walking from Collier Row to Dagenham and then back again."

Mr Ong-a-Kwie said he "threw his iPhone in the bin" and accepted he did not include this in his defence statement which he signed last month.

From the start of 2019 Sarah Forshaw told Svenson Ong-a-Kwie he and Manuel Petrovic liked to "have a bite to eat together".

But the 19-year-old said the two had been "working since last year since around October after I got stabbed".

Mr Ong-a-Kwie said Mr Petrovic has never been to his hostel in Collier Row, however he said he has been inside the 20-year-old's house to "chill" from time to time.

Sarah Forshaw QC asked Svenson Ong-a-Kwie if he "forgot to close his Twitter account".

She referenced a tweet where he posted he was going to f*** s*** up for these YG's down RM3".

Mr Ong-a-Kwie said he had no idea why he sent a tweet that was posted five years ago.

"Do you remember what the problem was?" Miss Forshaw asked.

Mr Ong-a-Kwie told jurors he was stabbed in October 2018 but "does not remember telling Manuel".

He added: "To this day I have not had any clarification of who stabbed me in October.

"It was one person who jumped out of a car. Stabbed me in the back of the leg and I ran the other way.

"There must have been other people in the car as he jumped out of the passenger seat".

Svenson Ong-a-Kwie re-affirmed to the jury he did not sell Class A drugs.

However, Sarah Forshaw QC read out an agreed fact where the 19-year-old was once caught by police in Suffolk while in possession of drugs and a knife.

He then distanced himself from any suggestion that he and Manuel Petrovic were going to work together to sell drugs in east London.

"We couldn't build a phone together," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said. "Because I work in Harold Hill and he works in Romford."

Mr Ong-a-Kwie denied having any problems with "the RM3 boys".

Image source, Julia Quenzler

Sarah Forshaw QC began by saying some of Svenson Ong-a-Kwie's account has been "the truth" and some "of it is lies".

"Let's try and untangle it," Miss Forshaw asked.

She continued by asking if Mr Ong-a-Kwie sold Class A drugs - an accusation the 19-year-old denied.

The 12 jurors are back into court after their lunch break and the defendants are in the dock.

Svenson Ong-a-Kwie has been called into the witness box again by Judge Wendy Joseph QC and will now be cross-examined by Sarah Forshaw QC - Manuel Petrovic's defence barrister.