The leader of a PRISON workshop has been charged with having an “inappropriate relationship” with Zara Aleena’s killer for a month in Britain’s most secure prison.
Hayley Jones, 33, is said to have been close to Jordan McSweeney, 29, who is serving at least 38 years in HMP Belmarsh for the murder of the 35-year-old Zara.
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She is due to appear in court tomorrow. She is accused of willful misconduct in public office – an offense that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
McSweeney, 31, is also accused of aiding and abetting the crime between March 6 and April 7, 2023, while serving his sentence in a Category A prison in Thamesmead, south-east London.
Jones, from Strood in Kent, was arrested and suspended from duty in April last year after allegations of inappropriate police conduct.
The aunt of murdered law graduate Aleena said she was “deeply disappointed and shocked” that McSweeney had been charged with another crime behind bars.
Farah Naz told The Sun: “This undermines the notion of justice. When he was sentenced to life imprisonment, I assured my family that justice had been done and his life was effectively over.”
“This situation not only contradicts the principles of justice, but also reveals serious systemic flaws.
“The investigation into Zara’s death found that systemic failures enabled this man to murder her.
“We need to understand and uncover how a Class A inmate – convicted of murder and sexual offences in a maximum security prison – could apparently be left alone with a prison employee long enough to allegedly develop a relationship and engage in sexual activity.
“There are serious questions about management practices at Belmarsh Prison, including the vetting procedures for prison staff and the adequacy of supervision.
“It is crucial to investigate whether the worker is being scapegoated to cover up systemic failures. Addressing these broader issues is crucial to prevent Future to correct violations and ensure that justice is done.”
A prison service spokesman said: “It would be inappropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
A newly strengthened anti-corruption unit is working to track down and crack down on employees accused of misconduct.
Jones and McSweeney will both appear at Wimbledon The first hearings will take place on Wednesday morning in the district court.
SICK ATTACK
McSweeney had been released from prison just days before he attacked Zara Aleena as she was walking home in Ilford, east London.
After failing to comply with probation officers' requirements, his license was revoked, but he was not sent back to prison, where he served a sentence for robbery.
This meant that the perpetrator, who was serving a life sentence for murder, was free to roam the streets in search of a victim.
On the night of Zara's murder, McSweeney was caught on video stalking the streets of East London.
At least four other women escaped the killer's clutches as they followed him in the darkness.
One even ran for his life into a house on the same street where Zara was brutally murdered.
After targeting the law graduate, McSweeney dragged her into a driveway where he repeatedly kicked and stomped on her.
Zara was found partially clothed and gasping for breath by horrified Neighbors who heard her screams.
The prosecutor said she was attacked with “almost unimaginable brutality.”
An autopsy determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma and neck compression.
McSweeney was described in court as a “damaged” person with a difficult childhood.
His ex-girlfriend Stella Lowe also said that the attacker was a “ticking time bomb”.
