A third suspect appeared in court today charged with murdering a 17-year-old girl.

Jodie Chesney was stabbed in the back as she listened to music with friends on a picnic bench at a park in Harold Hill, East London, on March 1.

Svenson Ong-a-kwie, 18, of Romford, was arrested nine days later on suspicion of murder and had his first hearing at Barkingside Magistrates' Court this morning.

Svenson Ong-a-kwie (left), 18, was charged with the murder of Jodie Chesney (right), 17

Police work at the scene in Harold Hill, East London, on March 3 after Jodie was fatally stabbed

Manuel Petrovic (left; and right, in a court sketch on March 11), 20, has also been charged with the murder of the 17-year-old girl

The Surinamese national, from the Collier Row estate in Romford, appeared in a grey tracksuit and was expressionless as he spoke only to confirm his name and address.

Sending Ong-a-kwie to the Old Bailey, magistrate Garry Lucie said: 'You have been charged with murder on the 1 March, murdering Jodie Chesney.

'It is a charge that can't be dealt with at this court. It has to be dealt with at crown court. I am not allowed to deal with bail.'

Mr Lucie told him he would next appear at the Old Bailey next Monday at 9.30am.

Friends battled to save Jodie but she collapsed in the park with a large stab wound and was pronounced dead at the scene around an hour later.

Purple bows and ribbons attached to lamp posts in Harold Hill in Jodie's memory on March 8

Manuel Petrovic, 20, and a 16-year-old boy have appeared in court separately charged with the murder of the young Explorer Scout.

Petrovic, from Romford, and the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are due to be tried at the Old Bailey in September.

Another three people - a 50-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, both from Dagenham, and a 17-year-old boy who were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have all been released under investigation.

Jodie's death intensified the outrage over knife crime in London and locals have paid tribute to her across Romford, laying dozens of bouquets and purple ribbons.