Murdered schoolgirl Jodie Chesney’s stepmum in court to face man, 20, and three teens accused of knifing 17-year-old to death
THE stepmum of tragic Girl Scout Jodie Chesney have come face to face with her alleged killers in court today.
Joanne Chesney was at the Old Bailey for the plea hearing of two men and two boys accused of her murder.
Manuel Petrovic, 20, Svenson Ong-akwie, 18, and two males aged 17 and 16 - who cannot be named for legal reasons - all appeared in court via video link this morning.
Judge Wendy Joseph QC said: "Each defendant, in the charge of murder at least, envisages pleading not guilty and having a trial."
Judge Joseph remanded all four in custody.
Two others, a 50-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, both from Dagenham, were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender but have since been released under investigation.
Jodie, 17, was stabbed to death while sitting in a park with friends in Romford, East London, on the evening of March 1.
Friends and people living near the park battled to save her life but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem exam found she suffered a single stab wound to the back.
Hundreds of people took to the streets of Romford after her death to pay tribute to the teenager.
Following her death, Peter described his daughter was a "proud geek" and a "great girl".
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He said: "The fibre of her being was just about being good, kind... there was nothing bad in her body."
Purple ribbons - in memory of Jodie's favourite colour - remain tied to trees, buildings and lampposts across Romford in tribute to the teenager.
The four will next appear in court on June 28 and a trial date is currently listed for September 2.
