Jodie Chesney stabbing: Man in court on murder charge - BBC News
Manuel Petrovic, 20, from Romford, is accused of stabbing the 17-year-old to death in east London.
Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death in a park in Harold Hill, east London

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a 17-year-old girl who was stabbed to death in a park in east London.

Jodie Chesney was knifed in the back near a children's playground in Harold Hill, Romford, last Friday.

Manuel Petrovic, 20, was remanded in custody after appearing at Barkingside Magistrates' Court.

Mr Petrovic, of Highfield Road, Romford, will next appear at the Old Bailey on Monday.

He was charged after being arrested in Leicester.

Officers said a second murder suspect arrested in London remained in custody.

Jodie was the fifth teenager to be stabbed to death in the capital so far this year.

Her father Peter led tributes, describing his daughter, who was a keen Scout, as a "great girl" and a "proud geek".

Tributes have been left outside the park where she died, and purple ribbons have been hung across Harold Hill and Romford.

Peter Chesney paid an emotional tribute to his daughter

Students and teachers at Havering Sixth Form College, where Jodie studied, remembered her by donning her favourite colour on Friday.

Former classmates described her as a "bundle of joy" and said she was "so beautiful - inside and out".

Scout leader Anna Skipworth said Jodie had "blossomed into an amazing young woman" during her time with the Scouts.

"She was funny, intelligent and a joy to work with," she said.

Bows and ribbons are on display across Romford in memory of Jodie, whose favourite colour was purple

Jodie was pronounced dead after police were called to the park near St Neot's Road at 21:25 GMT on 1 March.

She was with friends at the time of the attack.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of her death as trauma and haemorrhage.

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