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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Charlie Duffield

Sick Jordan McSweeney boasted of massive knives and posed in wanted posters before murder

Zara Aleena 's evil killer had boasted about having huge knives and posed in mocked-up wanted posters before he brutally murdered her.

Sick Jordan McSweeney, 29, had previously shared several pictures of himself on social media, glamourizing a life of crime.

Today at the Old Bailey the twisted thug pleaded guilty to the savage murder of law graduate Zara.

He had been released from jail just days before committing to crime, and ambushed the 35-year-old stranger after hiding in the shadows.

Zara was yards from her home in Ilford, in East London, when she was beaten to death while walking home from a night out.

After spotting Zara, McSweeney was filmed on CCTV pulling her into a driveway and killing her.

Zara Aleena's sick killer boasted of having massive knives and posed in wanted posters before her murder (Facebook)
Undated family handout file photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of Zara Aleena (PA)

The brute also stole her mobile phone, keys and handbag, and assaulted her.

Killer McSweeney had formerly shared a photo showing off his enormous collection of knives on Instagram in 2016.

In the carefully constructed photo, he also seemed to put what looked like drugs on weighing scales.

The 29-year-old from Church Elm Lane, Dagenham, east London, also posed up several times in "wanted" filters on social media.

Zara Aleena's sick killer posted this imag of knives and what appear to be drugs and scales (Instagram)

He enjoyed using several Facebook mock up posters with one eerily showing him "wanted by the FBI" for armed robbery in 2021.

If any social media users may have found such posts relatively harmless at the time, McSweeney went on to commit Zara's brutal murder just a year later.

Another photo shows the killer flipping the middle finger while bragging about being born to be an "enforcer".

Zara Aleena's sick killer boasted of having massive knives and posed in wanted posters before her murder (Facebook)

The caption reads: "The toughest member of the crew, you make sure everything runs smoothly and any rocks in the road is dealt with swiftly."

Members of Zara's family sat in the well of the court as he admitted sexually assaulting and murdering her.

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow KC had said McSweeney launched an "attack upon a lone female late at night making her way home, a woman who stood no chance".

At court today, Mr Glasgow added: "She is not the first woman to have attracted the attention of this defendant that night.

"The danger he poses to any woman should he be released on bail.' McSweeney has previous convictions for failing to surrender in the past, the court heard.

Mr Glasgow told the court McSweeney has 28 previous convictions for 69 offences including burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, driving offences, criminal property, assaults on police and assaults on members of the public.

McSweeney in custody (PA)

The prosecutor added that McSweeney is "uniquely unsuitable for bail" while the judge said to the defence advocate that it would be difficult to persuade any court that he should be on bail.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb adjourned sentencing to 14 December at the Old Bailey.

She said: "I will direct that sentencing will take place on 14 December in this case with a whole day set aside."

McSweeney appearing in the dock at the Old Bailey (PA)

The judge told McSweeney: 'You pleaded guilty to very serious matters and I am sure you appreciate I have to sentence you.

"You know the kind of sentence that you will receive but I will listen very carefully to the Crown's opening of the case, any other material that is put before me and any submissions on your behalf.

"So it is in your best interests to keep cooperating with those representing you."

Police and SOCO on the scene at in Cranbrook Road, Ilford (SWNS)

Zara was an aspiring lawyer who had just started working at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Her death sparked outrage following the stranger murders of Sabina Nessa and Sarah Everard in London as they walked home.

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