Summary

  • Family and friends described in their devastation at the loss of Jodie

  • Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death in a park in Harold Hill on 1 March

  1. Jodie's family and friends in court for sentencingpublished at 13:38 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2019

    Several members of Jodie Chesney’s family are present here in court five awaiting to hear the sentence passed to Svenson Ong-a-Kwie and the 17-year-old boy.

    Jodie’s uncles, cousins and aunts have been in court throughout the trial and are again all here in court wearing distinctive purple ribbons - Jodie’s favourite colour.

    Jodie's father Peter Chesney is not present in court this morning.

    In a BBC documentary, Peter spoke about the impact of attending the court trial every day, external.

    Some of Jodie’s friends are also in court five.

  2. Jodie's killers in the dock after two-hour delaypublished at 13:34 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2019

    Svenson Ong-a-KwieImage source, Julia Quenzler

    Svenson Ong-a-Kwie and and the 17-year-old boy are now in the dock after a delay to this morning's sentencing.

    Crispin Aylett QC told the court this was because a Category A prison van was not at Feltham Young Offenders' Institute (YOI) - where the teenage boy was being held.

    This meant an appropriate prison van had to come from Belmarsh prison in south east London to Feltham YOI in south west London and then onto the Old Bailey in central London - over 80 miles.

    Judge Wendy Joseph QC said the delay had put "very great pressure on what needs to be achieved today".

    The court will now sit at 13:45 and the sentencing will begin.

  3. But, the press can apply to have Section 45 order liftedpublished at 13:26 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2019

    Danny Shaw
    BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

    During the sentencing hearing, it's expected the judge will be asked to lift the Section 45 legal order which prevents the 17-year-old boy from being identified.

    The media have been prevented from naming him during the proceedings because of his young age, but reporters are expected to argue that the ban now amounts to an unreasonable restriction on reporting and is no longer in the public interest.

    The judge will have to weigh that against the welfare of the teenager and is also likely to take into account his age. The boy is approaching adulthood and can, in any event, be named when he turns 18.

    The judge will undoubtedly look at past cases, for guidance. Where the gravest crimes have been committed, the tendency is for the young offenders involved to be named, on conviction.

    In 2014, Mr Justice Coulson justified his decision to name Will Cornick, a 16-year-old boy who admitted murdering Leeds schoolteacher Ann Maguire, saying it would have "a clear deterrent effect".

  4. Why can't the 17-year-old boy be named?published at 13:21 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2019

    Danny Shaw
    BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

    The 17-year-old boy cannot be named because of a Section 45 order.

    This is a legal order 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.

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

    The BBC will be making an application to the judge to lift the Section 45 order on the 17-year-old boy.

  5. What happens when someone is cleared of murder?published at 13:16 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2019

    Danny Shaw
    BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

    When a person is acquitted of the charge or charges facing them it means they are cleared.

    They are innocent, and unless they face other charges or a trial on another matter, they are free to go.

    However, only if they can show they were wrongfully or unlawfully arrested, charged or detained will they be eligible to claim compensation.

  6. What happened to the other two defendants?published at 13:09 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2019

    Manuel Petrovic and Svenson Ong-a-KwieImage source, Julia Quenzler

    In total four people were charged with the murder of Jodie Chesney following a huge police investigation.

    Manuel Petrovic, 20, of Romford, was the first to be arrested and charged more than a week after Jodie was stabbed to death.

    He and a 16-year-old boy, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, were both found not guilty of Jodie’s murder.

    The two accused killers were also cleared of manslaughter.

  7. Remembering Jodiepublished at 13:01 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2019

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  8. Welcomepublished at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 18 November 2019

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC London News

    Old BaileyImage source, Getty Images

    Two teenagers are to be sentenced later after being convicted of murdering Jodie Chesney - who was fatally stabbed in a park in east London earlier this year.

    Following an eight-week trial at the Old Bailey Svenson Ong-a-Kwie and a 17-year-old boy - who cannot be named for legal reasons - were both unaimously found guilty of murder.

    Both will be sentenced by Judge Wendy Joseph QC and we will bring you the latest updates throughout the morning.