An inquest jury has found that failures “across multiple agencies” played a part in the death of Zara Aleena, who was raped and murdered in June 2022 while walking home from a night out in London. Jordan McSweeney, who had been released from prison on licence nine days prior, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 33 years. A probation report had previously determined that he was not categorised as a high-risk offender when he should have been.
The jury’s conclusion marks a damning list of shortcomings by multiple organisations tasked with protecting the wider public. It is clear that steps must be taken to address the failures of these agencies and ensure that adequate protection is in place for the community.
The death of Ms Aleena highlights the severe consequences of inadequate system failings. We owe it to her memory, and the memories of all victims, to carry out a thorough review of all relevant procedures and work towards improving the current state of affairs.
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