Murderer Jordan McSweeney will be spared a prosecution over an “inappropriate relationship” with a prison worker after he was jailed for life, it has been announced.
The 31-year-old killer was locked up for the horrific murder of 35-year-old law graduate Zara Aleena as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London, in the early hours of June 26 2022.
Earlier this year, McSweeney and prisoner workshop instructor Hayley Jones were both charged over a relationship they struck up at HMP Belmarsh between March 6, 2023 and April 7, 2023.
Jones, 33, has already admitted misconduct in a public office and faces a possible jail term herself when she is sentenced early next year.
At Woolwich crown court on Tuesday prosecutor Polly Dyer announced that the charge against McSweeney – for allegedly encouraging or assisting Jones in the commission of an indictable offence – is being dropped.
“The Crown indicated at the last hearing in line with the continuing duty of review that it would be undertaking a full review of the matter in relation to Ms McSweeney”, she said.
“In light of the plea of Ms Jones, and encompassed in the review of the evidence sufficiency, it was looked at whether it is in the public interest to continue a prosecution.
“A review having been undertaken at the highest level of the CPS, the determination of the Crown is to offer no evidence against Mr McSweeney in this matter.”
Asked if she wanted to publicly outline more about the basis of the decision, Ms Dyer replied: “No. The review was in light of the plea of Ms Jones.”
Judge David Miller told the court: “Mr McSweeney hasn’t formally entered a not guilty plea, but one can be entered on his behalf.
“It is clear he has been contesting the matter, although he has never in fact graced us with his presence.”
McSweeney dodged an earlier court hearing after telling prison guards he was “having difficulty with walking”.
Judge Miller agreed Jones, of Strood in Kent, could be psychologically assessed before she is sentenced on February 4 next year. He had previously agreed for her home address to be restricted from publication after hearing evidence that “her mental health was frail”.
Rosalia Myttas-Perris, for Jones, told the court she should be assessed by an expert for levels of intelligence and “whether she is suggestible and easily manipulated”.
“We say she is a vulnerable young woman with a number of vulnerabilities that the court ought to understand through the eyes of an expert before passing sentence.”
Prosecutors were also asked by the judge to set out its case on McSweeney’s suggestions, put forward as part of his defence case, that he had been “receiving contraband” in prison and a suggestion he had been “bragging to another prisoner about the power he had over this person”.
McSweeney was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 38 years behind bars at the Old Bailey in December 2022 for the rape and murder of Ms Aleena.
In November 2023, he won a Court of Appeal bid to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence to 33 years.
He refused to enter the dock to be sentence at the Old Bailey, sparking outrage from Ms Aleena’s family and demands for a change in the law to force criminals to face court.
He had been formally recalled to prison nine days before murdering Ms Aleena, but was not captured in time.
An inquest into Ms Aleena’s death earlier this year concluded there had been multiple failings across different agencies which contributed to McSweeney being free and able to kill.
Following Tuesday’s court hearing, a CPS spokesperson said: “Jordan McSweeney is facing a lifetime behind bars for the brutal killing of Zara Aleena, an offence he was convicted of following a successful prosecution by the CPS.
“In July, we brought fresh charges against McSweeney and Hayley Jones, a prison worker, relating to an inappropriate relationship at HMP Belmarsh.
“While Jones has pleaded guilty to committing misconduct in public office, there is insufficient evidence to prove that McSweeney was guilty of a further criminal offence.
“He remains behind bars.”
