Jodie Chesney cops arrest man, 20, in Leicester over brutal murder of schoolgirl, 17, in East London park
POLICE investigating the brutal murder of schoolgirl Jodie Chesney arrested a 20-year-old man in Leicester last night.
It followed a tip off that the suspects had travelled to the East Midlands following the random stabbing of the 17-year-old Girl Scout last Friday evening in East London.
The unnamed suspect whose age has not been released was due to be brought down to London by Met Police officers to be questioned over the brutal murder of the popular teenager.
Jodie had been with friends in a park in the Harold Hill area of Romford, East London on Friday before they were approached by two unknown males.
The pair returned a short while later and one of them, described as a young black male, stabbed Jodie in the back. He then ran off without saying anything.
A Met Police spokesman said: “A male was arrested in Leicester on Tuesday, 5 March in connection with the murder of Jodie Chesney, 17.
'BLOOD-CURDLING' SCREAMS
“He remains in custody at this time. Arrangements will be made to transport the male to London in due course.”
Witnesses described hearing “blood-curdling” screams for help from her boyfriend Eddie Coyle who cradled her in his arms as she died.
Jodie, who had recently joined fellow Girl Scouts on a trip to No 10, is said to have been stabbed so hard that the weapon snapped, leaving the blade lodged in her body.
Jodie’s uncle Rev Dave Chesney, a vicar at an East London church, said the family were devastated over the “random and unprovoked attack on a beautiful and quirky young girl with her whole life in front of her”.
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Jodie — who lived with her dad Peter and stepmum Joanne in nearby Dagenham — was the 14th person to be knifed to death in the capital this year.
On Tuesday night a 20-year-old man was rushed to hospital after being stabbed in Camden, north London.
He was rushed to hospital but his condition is said to not be life threatening.
Defence minister Gavin Williamson has said the Army is ready to step in over Britain's current knife crime crisis.
Meanwhile a boy of 17 has been charged with murdering grammar schoolboy Yousef Maki, also 17, who was stabbed to death in a Cheshire village on Saturday.
