Three years after Zara Aleena’s tragic murder, her family and supporters continue to highlight the profound failures within the criminal justice system that contributed to the death of the 35-year-old law graduate. Aleena was fatally attacked on 26 June 2022 as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London, just minutes from her front door. The perpetrator, Jordan McSweeney, a known violent offender with a long criminal history, had been released from prison on licence only nine days prior to the attack. His repeated failure to comply with probation conditions did not result in his recall to prison, a lapse now seen as a critical factor in enabling the crime.

Aleena’s aunt, Farah Naz, who led a vigil commemorating her niece, emphasised that women in Britain remain unsafe despite some progress. She described Aleena as a symbol not only of the need for systemic change but also of the possibility for that change to happen. The vigil saw mourners walk from the site of the murder to Aleena’s home in a powerful act of solidarity and remembrance, with calls to hold the government accountable for promises aimed at tackling violence against women.

Government figures, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, also Aleena’s local MP, and Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones have acknowledged the deep societal impact of the killing and affirmed commitment to ambitious targets to reduce violence against women and girls by half within a decade. They stressed the necessity of collaborative efforts across government, parliament, and the justice system to address underlying cultural issues, improve institutional accountability, and enhance prevention strategies.

The inquest into Zara Aleena’s death, held last year, was damning in its findings. The jury concluded that multiple state agencies, including the police and probation service, had failed to follow established procedures. These failures encompassed inadequate intelligence sharing, poor risk assessment, and a lack of coordinated and timely response to the proven risk posed by McSweeney. Coroner Nadia Persaud’s prevention of future deaths report highlighted serious concerns such as low staffing levels, insufficient professional curiosity, poor investigation standards, and a general lack of rigour—all factors that collectively allowed the tragedy to occur.

Further scrutiny from the chief inspector of probation uncovered a catalogue of errors in the supervision of McSweeney. Despite the revocation of his licence due to non-compliance with probation appointments, he was not recalled to prison. The inspector criticised the probation service for an inadequate understanding of risk and ineffective management during McSweeney’s release period. The failure to classify him as “high risk” prevented proper triggers from activating protective measures that might have prevented Aleena’s murder.

The legacy of Zara Aleena’s death has sparked renewed conversations about women’s safety and the urgent need for systemic reform. Survivors and campaigners emphasize that while emergency responses and offender management have seen some improvements, prevention efforts remain under-resourced, especially specialist services led by and for minority women. The criminal justice system’s shortcomings, alongside persistent misogyny in wider society, continue to put women at risk.

Aleena’s family, joined by relatives of other victims such as primary school teacher Sabina Nessa and mother-of-three Jan Mustafa, are campaigning for legal reforms, including laws requiring offenders to attend their sentencing hearings. They seek a broader cultural change, beyond policy shifts, to ensure lasting safety for women and girls.

Jordan McSweeney was originally sentenced in December 2022 to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 38 years. However, in a recent Court of Appeal hearing in November 2023, that minimum term was reduced to 33 years, a decision that has caused further distress to Aleena’s family and supporters.

As the nation marks the third anniversary of this fatal attack, Zara Aleena’s story underscores the persistent vulnerabilities faced by women in the UK and the critical need for integrated, resolute action to prevent further tragedies.

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Source: Noah Wire Services