Zara Aleena’s murderer refuses to appear in court over alleged inappropriate relationship with prison worker

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Zara Aleena’s killer refused to appear in court after being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a prison workshop instructor.

Jordan McSweeney, 31, is serving life with a minimum of 33 years in HMP Belmarsh for the murder of the 35-year-old law graduate as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London.

The attack took place in the early hours of 26 June 2022 - nine days after he was released from prison.

He was due to attend court on Wednesday alongside Hayley Jones, 33, who is accused of acting towards McSweeney in a way “which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust”.

But McSweeney failed to appear via video link at Woolwich Crown Court because he “can’t be bothered”, staff at HMP Long Lartin told the court.

A staff member told Judge David Miller via video link: “I despatched an officer at 1.30pm to collect him from his prison cell.

“At 1.40pm I got a message saying he had refused to attend because he can’t be bothered.”

Judge Miller asked: “Is that a quote?”, to which they responded, “Yes.”

The judge added: “If he continues to refuse to engage with proceedings then proceedings will go ahead in his absence. He must be reminded about the consequences of not being bothered to engage next time.”

The staff member told the court McSweeney had also refused to sign failure to attend documents.

Jones, of Strood in Kent, who appeared in person, is accused of misconduct in public office between 6 March 2023 and 7 April 2023.

McSweeney is charged with encouraging or assisting the commission of an indictable offence.

Jones was granted conditional bail at a previous hearing and told she must not contact McSweeney, or visit the prison where he is being held.

No pleas to the charges were entered during the short hearing and the case has been adjourned to 31 October.

McSweeney was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting to sexually assaulting and murdering Ms Aleena. He successfully had his minimum sentence reduced to 33 years after a Court of Appeal bid in November last year.