Coroner Instructs Improvements from Probation Service and Metropolitan Police

Coroner Instructs Improvements from Probation Service and Metropolitan Police

Coroner Instructs Improvements from Probation Service and Metropolitan Police After Zara Aleena’s Murder

A coroner has ordered the Probation Service and Metropolitan Police to enhance their operations after a sexual predator managed to stalk and kill Zara Aleena just days following his release from prison. The coroner warned that future deaths could occur unless significant actions are taken.

Jordan McSweeney murdered the 35-year-old law graduate as she walked home from a night out in Ilford in the early hours of June 26, 2022, only nine days after his prison release.

The coroner, Nadia Persaud, highlighted several concerns, including low staffing levels, poor risk assessment understanding, and a “lack of professional curiosity” within the Probation Service. Additionally, she noted a lack of “rigour, detail, and independence” in the Met’s investigation into the case.

Ms. Persaud, the area coroner for east London who oversaw Ms. Aleena’s inquest in June, has sent her report to the chief probation officer, the Justice Secretary, the commissioner of the Met, the head of Redbridge Council, and the Home Secretary. They must respond to the prevention of future deaths report by September 20, outlining the actions they will take to improve their services.

Farah Naz, Ms. Aleena’s aunt, expressed her frustration, stating that “her brutal murder could and should have been prevented” following an inquest that revealed failures by multiple agencies contributed to her death. The inquest’s jury found that “Zara’s death was contributed to by the failure of multiple state agencies to act in accordance with policies and procedures – to share intelligence, accurately assess risk of serious harm, and act and plan in response to the risk in a sufficient, timely, and coordinated way.”

Damning findings by the chief inspector of probation, published last year, outlined numerous errors by probation officers before McSweeney’s attack on the aspiring lawyer. In her prevention of future deaths report, Ms. Persaud stated that the probation delivery unit responsible for managing McSweeney had been “understaffed.” Staffing levels were at 61% in 2022 and 58% at the time of the inquest in June 2024.

“The inquest heard that this is a national problem and that other probation delivery units have even lower staffing levels,” the coroner said. “The low staffing level impacted the quality and depth of assessments, supervision of junior staff, workloads for probation officers, cover during annual leave, and record-keeping.”

Ms. Persaud’s report also noted poor understanding around risk assessment within the service. “There was a lack of professional curiosity and insufficient probing into information relevant to risk,” she said. “A restraining order against the offender was not highlighted, as it should have been, and key staff involved in managing the offender were unaware of it.”

The coroner questioned the lack of “rigour, detail, and independence” in the Met police’s investigation of its handling of the case. She noted that “an independent, rapid investigation was carried out by the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS),” but the findings were rejected by senior officers who were not independent.

Ms. Persaud also raised concerns about a possible “societal acceptance” of stalking behavior. At least two other members of the public were followed by McSweeney before he attacked Ms. Aleena, but this was not reported to emergency services.

“The members of the public appear to have seen the offender and knew he was following them,” she said. “I am concerned that there is a societal acceptance that such conduct does not need to be reported.”

Copies of the report have also been sent to the chief coroner, Ms. Aleena’s family, and the local director of public health.

In a statement released in June, Ms. Aleena’s aunt said her family remains “devastated by our enormous loss.” Ms. Naz added, “Zara should be alive today. Her brutal murder could and should have been prevented. It is clear from the evidence we have heard that there are significant issues of under-resourcing across the system.”

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