Sexual predator Jordan McSweeney was free to murder Zara Aleena after probation staff missed a catalogue of chances to stop him, a report reveals today.
McSweeney 29, was wrongly considered medium risk by the private firm monitoring him despite the killer warning staff his anger scared him.
In a damning report, Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell highlighted a failure to recall the cocaine user to jail quickly enough before the murder.
McSweeney had only been free for nine days when he killed aspiring lawyer Zara, 35, on June 26 last year.
During that time he had failed to turn up for three probation appointments and disappeared from his mum’s house after drinking himself unconscious.
The bare knuckle boxer was assigned a probation officer nine days before his release and it was unclear where he was going to live when let out.
Prison staff submitted 15 concerns about McSweeney, mainly for making weapons and using drugs, but details were not shared with probation.
The report comes a week after the watchdog found failings by probation officers before Damien Bendall killed three children and his partner.
And it highlights how some failings in dealing with McSweeney had been raised by the Joseph McCann case.
Serial rapist McCann carried out attacks after major failings by inexperienced staff, a 2020 report said.
McSweeney was jailed for at least 38 years last month after admitting the “terrifying and ruthless” sexual attack on Zara in Ilford, East London.
The killer, from Dagenham, was caught on CCTV targeting four other women before he beat Zara.
McSweeney had 28 prior convictions for 69 offences, including burglary, vehicle theft and assault.
He was also violent with ex-partners and received a restraining order in 2021.
But he was wrongly classed as medium risk that year by the Community Rehabilitation Company responsible for the case.
CRCs were axed in 2021 after being introduced by ex-Justice Secretary Chris Grayling in 2014. They cost almost £500million and led to a rise in killings by criminals under supervision.
Mr Russell said McSweeney was considered a “violent and threatening man” and he should have been classed as a “high risk of serious harm”.
However, his criminal history had been reviewed in isolation.
Making 10 recommendations, Mr Russell called for a review of how staff gauge the risk posed by criminals.
He warned it is “impossible to say” if the public is being properly protected until standards improve. He added the cases reveal “broader systemic issues about the huge staffing pressures, the workloads line managers are struggling with” and “failures” in risk assessments.
Asked if he feels No10 is taking the problems seriously, Mr Russell told reporters: “The proof will be in the pudding in terms of whether the Government actions are enough.”
Prisons and Probation Minister Damian Hinds said Zara’s death was despicable and he apologised unreservedly to her family for “the unacceptable failings in this case”.
He added: “We are taking immediate steps to address the serious issues raised by the Jordan McSweeney and Damien Bendall cases.
“This includes mandatory training to improve risk assessments, implementing new processes to guarantee the swift recall of offenders and we have taken disciplinary action where appropriate.”
