Summary

  • Day 20 of the trial of four people accused of murdering Jodie Chesney, 17.

  • Jodie murder accused 'said he had stabbed someone'

  • 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

  1. Jury goes for early - and longer - lunchpublished at 12:40 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Old BaileyImage source, Getty Images

    Charlie Sherrard QC has now finished his examination of Svenson Ong-a-Kwie.

    Judge Wendy Joseph QC has adjourned the case until 14:00 BST so the barristers can have time with their clients before cross-examination begins.

  2. 'I am not guilty of Jodie Chesney's murder'published at 12:37 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Jodie Chesney

    Reflecting back to what happened on 1 March in Amy's Park, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he had "no idea" what was going to happen.

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie added that he had no time to intervene "because it happened so quick".

    "None of that should have happened," Mr Ong-a-Kwie told the court.

    "It was a routine thing going to meet a customer."

    Before Charlie Sherrard QC finished his questioning, he asked Mr Ong-a-Kwie if he was guilty of Jodie Chesney's murder.

    "No," he replied.

  3. 'I had a knife for cooking as I was eating lots of takeaways'published at 12:33 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Crime sceneImage source, PA Media

    After Svenson Ong-a-Kwie was arrested on the suspicion of the murder of Jodie Chesney, police carried out a search of his hostel in Collier Row.

    They found a knife which the 19-year-old said his mum had been given "for cooking".

    He said: "At the time I was buying loads of takeaways and my mum said it was cheaper to cook your own food."

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie said before he was arrested he was advised to go "no comment" in his police interview because Manuel Petrovic "must have been snitching".

    He denied threatening Mr Petrovic's mother while the pair were remanded in Belmarsh Prison.

  4. 'I was paranoid I would get arrested for murder'published at 12:31 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Svenson Ong-a-Kwie met with Manuel Petrovic to hand over a phone as he "trusted" the 20-year-old.

    He told the jury he was "paranoid" he might get arrested as he had become aware of the murder investigation.

    "I thought I could get arrested because I was there," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said.

    "We met in the alleyway. Me, Manuel, the 16-year-old boy and another friend.

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  5. Svenson Ong-a-Kwie 'tried to escape from arrest'published at 12:27 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    crime sceneImage source, Reuters

    In the week after Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death in Amy's Park Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he was not aware of detectives were looking for him.

    On 10 March Mr Ong-a-Kwie was arrested and admitted he tried to flee from the police.

    "I did try to escape," he said. " But I did not jump out of the window.

    "I opened the back door and started jumping over back gardens.

    "There was so much police I ended up back at the house in the first place.

    "I fell through the conservatory."

  6. 'Burgling houses is not my line of work'published at 12:23 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    On the night of 2 March Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he went for a meal with his "whole family" to celebrate his little sister's birthday.

    The 19-year-old also denied an accusation made by former witness Tom Giles-Wyatt that he broke into someone's home in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

    "I don't burgle houses," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said. "That's not my line of work. I deal drugs."

  7. 'He owed me money for some weed'published at 12:17 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Amy's ParkImage source, Reuters

    Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he met with Manuel Petrovic on 2 March having spent time with his mum in Ilford, east London.

    Charlie Sherrard QC said Mr Ong-a-Kwie made a "two-second" call to Mr Petrovic after 16:00 GMT.

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie said he could not remember why he wanted to call him.

    Shortly before 17:00 Mr Ong-a-Kwie accepted he called Tom Giles-Wyatt for 51 seconds to arrange a transfer of money.

    "He owed me money for some weed," Mr Ong-a-Kwie told the jury. "So I called him and asked him to send it over."

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie then withdrew the money in cash.

    Mr Sherrard asked if Mr Ong-a-Kwie said "I've done something real bad".

    "No," Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied. "Not one bit."

  8. Jury back into court - 'Manuel was moaning about his car'published at 12:02 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Media caption,

    Svenson Ong-a-Kwie leaves his hostel

    The jury has now re-entered courtroom eight and Svenson Ong-a-Kwie is continuing to give evidence.

    The 19-year-old said he and the 17-year-old defendant changed their clothes in the park where Manuel Petrovic dropped them off.

    He added that, "Manuel was moaning about his car".

    The following morning, Mr Ong-a-Kwie woke up in the home of the 17-year-old boy who lived in Barking, east London.

    He returned to the hostel and later on 2 March he went with his mum to get his hair cut.

  9. A reminder as to why the teenage boy cannot be namedpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Danny Shaw
    BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

    A Section 45 order is a legal ruling made by a judge which bans publication of the identity of any witness, victim or defendant aged under 18 who appears at a Magistrates Court or a Crown Court.

    The ban includes reporting the young person's name, address, school, college or place of work - and any details that are likely to identify the person.

    Photographs of the individual are banned as well.

    The rule relates to all reports of the case on radio, television, newspapers, magazines, online and social media.

    The ban applies during the duration of the trial and all other related criminal proceedings, and until the person turns 18.

    Witnesses and victims may apply for lifelong anonymity, so they can't be named even after they've turned 18.

    A judge may decide to lift the restrictions on a young person who's been convicted, but this only happens in exceptional circumstances.

  10. Jury heads off for mid-morning breakpublished at 11:47 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    The jury has left the court for a mid-morning break and Svenson Ong-a-Kwie has returned to the dock.

    Before the break, the jury heard that in the time after Jodie was stabbed Mr Ong-a-Kie and Manuel Petrovic had a "ten-minute" phone call.

    The 19-year-old told the jury Mr Petrovic explained to him he had been robbed in Elvet Avenue.

    The jury will return just before midday where Mr Ong-a-Kwie will continue to be examined by Charlie Sherrard QC

  11. 'I thought my clothes might be contaminated'published at 11:36 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Amy's ParkImage source, Reuters

    After Jodie Chesney was stabbed in the back, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he was dropped off in Collier Row.

    Manuel Petrovic then met Mr Ong-a-Kwie and the 17-year-old boy in a separate park to exchange new clothes.

    "The teenage boy asked me for some clothes, but my clothes don't fit him," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said.

    "So I called Manuel and he got some.

    "When he brought the clothes he brought three or four pairs of jogging bottoms and jumpers.

    "I had a brand new tracksuit and I didn't really want to get rid of it.

    "I thought I might get contaminated so got rid of my clothes too."

  12. Teenager told me 'he had just stabbed someone'published at 11:26 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    crime sceneImage source, PA Media

    After running away from the park, Mr Ong-a-Kwie said he jumped in the front of Manuel Petrovic's Vauxhall Corsa.

    He said the 17-year-old defendant got in the back and said: "Go, go, go."

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie told the court: "Me and Manuel both said at the same time 'what happened?'."

    Mr Sherrard asked what the teenager's response was.

    "The teenager said, 'I just stabbed someone'.

    "I asked him who and he said he thought it was Tash."

  13. Svenson Ong-a-Kwie - 'I don't carry weapons'published at 11:22 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    crime sceneImage source, PA Media

    Going back to what happened when Svenson Ong-a-Kwie and the teenager got out of the car, Mr Ong-a-Kwie told the jury he "did not carry weapons" and denied he had a knife on him.

    He added: "We both went through the gate. We must have been there for like a second, maybe two seconds - walking from the gate over to the group.

    "We walked through the gate, I'm on the right. I did not see it happen. I looked to my left and saw the teen jump over the railing.

    "I did not see what the teen done. I looked at him he jumped over the gate and fell on his face.

    Mr Sherrard asked Mr Ong-a-Kwie if he knew at that point what happened?

    "No," he replied.

    "Did you do anything?" Mr Sherrard asked.

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied: "No, none at all."

  14. 'I wanted to be a professional boxer'published at 11:19 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    The 17-year-old defendant was with Svenson Ong-a-Kwie so he could "familiarise" the teenager with his drug customers.

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie said: "He was meant to be taking over from me."

    The 19-year-old paused from talking about what happened on the night of Jodie Chesney's death to tell jurors about his aspirations to be a professional boxer.

    He said he wanted to give up running the drug dealing so he could focus on being a boxer.

    "I had been out of boxing for six months," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said. "I am an amateur boxer at Gator ABC in Hainault.

    Mr Sherrard asked: "While you've been in custody you have gotten bigger."

    "Yeh," Mr Ong-a-Kiw said. "I've put on weight."

  15. 'Let's go into the park'published at 11:14 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Amy's ParkImage source, Met Police

    Svenson Ong-a-Kwie has told jurors that Manuel Petrovic "did not need directions" to get to Amy's Park.

    "He knew the way," the 19-year-old added.

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie said it was dark at the time he, Mr Petrovic and the two teenage boys went to the park.

    He said: "I told him to do a U-turn on St Neots Road and go down Retford Road.

    "We drove down Retford Road, no one was there. Someone in the car mentioned it could be in the park.

    "From memory I think it was the 16-year-old boy.

    "Then I said to the 17-year-old boy 'let's go in the park'."

  16. 'I had no intentions of picking up Class A drugs'published at 11:01 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Svenson Ong-a-KwieImage source, Julia Quenzler

    While en-route back to his hostel in Collier Row, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie made a 35 second phone call to Manuel Petrovic.

    The teenager said he paid the driver £17 and managed to offload a few bags of cannabis to his clients. However he did not make "much profit" because he missed customers during the afternoon.

    Calls were then made between Mr Petrovic and Mr Ong-a-Kwie.

    "I don't remember speaking to the 16-year-old boy," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said. "I was speaking to Manuel.

    "I had to ask for a lift and at first he said no. I convinced him saying the least he could do for losing my phone was to give me a lift.

    "That's when he said, 'You're killing me but I'll do it'."

    Mr Sherrard asked if the lift had anything to do with "picking up Class A drugs"

    "No," Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied. "Nothing like that".

  17. 'Nothing unusual about asking Manuel Petrovic for a favour'published at 10:56 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Manuel PetrovicImage source, Julia Quenzler

    Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he and the 17-year-old boy were in the taxi and he was asking the driver to take him around "to do his shots".

    Instead, the 19-year-old told the court he messaged Manuel Petrovic.

    "I wanted to go back to Collier Row and have Manuel to bring me back to Amy's," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said.

    Mr Sherrard asked if there was "anything unusual" in asking Manuel for a favour.

    "No," Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied.

    "I think I was at Chippenham Road when I texted him."

  18. 'Teen saw someone who he had beef with'published at 10:50 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Map

    Other drug deals arranged in the Harold Hill area included one in Chippenham Road and another in Redcar Road, Mr Ong-a-Kwie told the jury.

    The 19-year-old said he arranged to meet "a white kid with dreadlocks" in Amy's Park.

    Mr Sherrard asked Mr Ong-a-Kwie if he had "any interest in what was happening, or going on, in Amy's Park".

    "Nothing at all," he replied.

    Mr Ong-a-Kwie said he and the 17-year-old defendant were in a "Prius minicab" dropping the drugs off in the Harold Hill area.

    He said: "The teenager told the cab driver to slow down. But I was in a rush so I told the cab driver not to slow down.

    "I asked why he wanted to stop and he said he saw someone he had beef with.

    "I didn't care. My exact words were, 'I don't have enough time for your rubbish' - but not in a rude way."

  19. Svenson Ong-a-Kwie arranged drug deals before stabbingpublished at 10:31 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    Crime scene at Amy's ParkImage source, Met Police

    Before Jodie Chesney was stabbed in Amy's Park Svenson Ong-a-Kwie said he arranged a series of drug deals.

    Charlie Sherrard QC asked how many "deals or customers" the 19-year-old was "going to service".

    "Three," Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied. "But I don't remember their names."

    He told the jury he spent time trying to get in contact with Manuel Petrovic for a lift.

    Mr Sherrard said one of the arranged drug deals was in Masefield Crescent - still in the Harold Hill area.

    One deal did not go through because the client "took too long," Mr Ong-a-Kwie said.

    "But I went back later."

  20. Jury back into court - evidence continuespublished at 10:21 British Summer Time 21 October 2019

    The 12 jurors, made up of seven men and five women, have entered court and the trial is about to continue.

    Judge Wendy Joseph QC has addressed the jury to say she is "confident" the jury will go out by the end of the week of 8 November.

    "However," Judge Joseph added. "No-one knows how long it is going to take for you to reach your verdicts."

    Svenson Ong-a-Kwie is back in the witness box and is continuing to be examined by his barrister Charlie Sherrard QC.