‘Distress’ for Jessie Wright’s family after new delay

Published: 11th November, 2010
by DAVID ST GEORGE

GRIEVING relatives of Jessie Wright have been told they face another four months of waiting before the man accused of killing her goes to ­trial. 

The 16-year-old’s loved ones were at the Old Bailey on Friday to hear Judge Timothy Pontius apologise for the “distress and concern” the delay will cause.

He said he understood that Jessie’s family will want “closure” as soon as possible but there had been “considerable difficulties” in preparing the case for Zakk Sacket’s trial.

Sacket has now been visited 40 times by his solicitor while being held on remand at Feltham youth custody centre in Middlesex.

Sacket, 20, of Outram Place, King’s Cross, was due before a jury on Monday having denied murdering Jessie in a yard off Outram Place on March 4 earlier this year.

Defence QC Jeremy Dein told the court that “with great regret” he was forced to ask for the trial to be postponed.

He cited further medical and pathological reports to be obtained and a detailed assessment of Sacket, who has “entrenched learning difficulties”.

The prosecution say that Jessie was deliberately strangled. A trial estimated to last up to four weeks will now begin on March 21.

Popular teenager Jessie, who lived with her grandmother, was a former pupil of Maria Fidelis School in Euston.