Jodie Chesney stabbing: Youth named in court as killer

Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death in a park in Harold Hill, east London

A 17-year-old boy has been named in court as Jodie Chesney's killer by one of his co-defendants.

The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, is one of four youths on trial at the Old Bailey for the murder of the 17-year-old student.

Jodie was with friends in Amy's Park, Harold Hill, east London on 1 March when she was stabbed in the back by one of two figures who then ran off.

Prosecutors say she was not the planned target of a "drug turf war attack".

• What happened on day 19 of Jodie Chesney murder trial?

Svenson Ong-a-Kwie told jurors he did not kill Jodie Chesney on 1 March

Giving evidence, defendant Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, 19, denied he was the killer.

The cannabis dealer from Collier Row, told jurors had he no "beef" with any customers or other dealers and was not seeking revenge for previously being stabbed in the leg.

Asked who did stab Jodie, Mr Ong-a-Kwie named a 17-year-old co-defendant while nodding towards his direction in the dock.

His barrister, Charlie Sherrard QC, asked: "Were you with him at the time?"

Mr Ong-a-Kwie replied: "I was, yes."

Mr Sherrard said: "Did you have any idea anything like that was going to happen?"

The defendant said: "No."

Jodie had been sitting on a park bench, listening to music when she was stabbed in the back in Amy's Park

Prosecutors earlier alleged Mr Ong-a-Kwie had turned off his mobile phone minutes before the killing to "avoid detection".

Mr Sherrard asked: "In Amy's Park, when your phone detached from the network at 21:13, did you switch it off to avoid detection of any kind?"

"No, I did not," he replied.

The defendant also told jurors he regarded alleged getaway driver Manuel Petrovic, 20, as a "very close" friend who was like family.

In his evidence, Mr Petrovic denied throwing Mr Ong-a-Kwie "under the bus" by distancing himself from him.

Last week, Mr Petrovic told jurors the pair were more like business associates than friends.

Mr Ong-a-Kwie, Mr Petrovic and two youths aged 16 and 17, from east London, deny Jodie's murder.