JESSIE WRIGHT: Man denies schoolgirl's murder

Tuesday June 15, 2010

By DAVID ST GEORGE, at the Old Bailey

THE man accused of murdering former convent schoolgirl Jessie Wright has denied the charge.

Old Bailey judge Gerald Gordon took Zakk Sacket's not guilty plea in a brief hearing on Tuesday, which was attended by the dead teenager's family members. Sacket, 19, of Outram Place, Islington, remains in prison custody until his trial, expected to last three weeks, which begins on November 15. His hearing was conducted over a video link.

Popular 16-year-old Jessie lived with her grandmother on the Bemerton Estate near King's Cross Station. Her body was found in a yard off Outram Place on March 4. She had been strangled. Daniel Jerome, defence advocate, told the court that when Sacket last saw Jessie she was alive and well.

Sacket maintained that he was not present when she died “or responsible for her death”.

Jessie was a former pupil of Maria Fidelis School in Somers Town. Fellow students joined her close-knit family members and friends in a march through local streets to honour her and hundreds took part. And they united in grief again on April 30 when a horse and carriage took Jessie from Kinross House, on the Bemerton Estate, to her funeral at St Pancras Cemetery.

Sacket is set to be defended by leading criminal QC Orlando Pownall. Prosecutor Alison Morgan told the court that further evidence, including CCTV footage, a full post mortem report, toxicology and DNA findings, are still awaited and possibly “disclosures” from Social Services. Judge Gordon said delays added to the strain on Jessie's family and on the accused. He said that he was “forced unhappily” to agree to a November trial date. When the judge asked Sacket for his view he replied: “Ok, thank you very much.”