Failures “across multiple agencies” contributed to Zara Aleena’s murder, an inquest has found.
The 35-year-old law graduate was killed as she walked home after a night out in east London.
His killer, Jordan McSweeney, was released from prison nine days before attacking Ms. Aleena as she returned home to Ilford on June 26, 2022.
Aleena died in hospital from a blunt force injury to the head and compression to the neck, the jury was told.
On Wednesday, it concluded that “Zara’s death was contributed to by the failure of multiple state agencies to act in accordance with policies and procedures – to share intelligence information, to accurately assess the risk of serious harm, [and] act and plan in response to risk in a sufficient, timely and coordinated manner”.
There were “significant failures to adequately assess risk” by the prison and probation service, with McSweeney not being classified as high risk.
It added that there was a “failure to define, understand and execute roles and responsibilities across various agencies to effectively manage the offender”.
“Attempts [by the Metropolitan Police] to arrest the offender following the recall were impeded by a number of factors, including inaccurate recall data and a lack of professional curiosity and follow-up on Saturday, June 25,” the jury said.
McSweeney was handed a life sentence with a minimum sentence of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting the murder and sexual assault of Ms Aleena.
In November 2023 he won a bid at the Court of Appeal to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence.
Area coroner Nadia Persaud asked jurors to consider whether any failures by prison and probation services or the Metropolitan Police contributed to Ms Aleena’s death.
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Zara Aleena Murder: What Happened?
Delays in returning to prison
Police were unable to make contact with McSweeney after he was released on license on June 17, 2022, but parole waited five days before initiating his recall to prison.
He missed his parole appointment the day he was released, with his mother telling officials he had passed out drunk at her house. Although he was rescheduled twice, McSweeney didn’t show up for either appointment and his mother said she didn’t know where he was.
Despite the lack of contact, its withdrawal was only initiated on June 22nd and the withdrawal report was signed on June 24th, 2022.
Police were given powers to arrest McSweeney at 4.10pm the same day. In the early hours of June 26, McSweeney murdered Ms. Aleena.
Probation officer says McSweeney should have been classified as high risk
His newly qualified parole officer, Austin Uwaifo, said McSweeney should have been classified as high risk and, if he had been, would have pushed for him to be recalled to prison sooner.
Uwaifo said: “At the time I thought that because he left on Friday, my thought was to give him the opportunity to return – possibly he left and decided, for whatever reason, decided to go out and get drunk.”
Uwaifo said the probation office was understaffed over the weekend, but would have requested a quicker after-hours emergency recall if McSweeney had been classified as high risk.
Initial consultations were terminated prematurely
The police officer who recalled McSweeney said initial inquiries into his whereabouts were closed prematurely and that further checks should have been carried out.
Metropolitan Police operations sergeant Ian Batten said he did not anticipate McSweeney would be a risk to the public after receiving a prison call notice for him on June 24, 2022.
Sergeant Batten also said he was unaware that initial inquiries into McSweeney’s whereabouts were closed before the end of his shift.
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