Zara Aleena’s murderer refuses to attend court over ‘inappropriate relationship’

Jordan McSweeney failed to appear via video link at Woolwich Crown Court.

Jordan McSweeney (Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Archive)

Zara Aleena’s murderer has refused to appear in court for a hearing over an alleged “inappropriate relationship” with a prison workshop instructor.

Jordan McSweeney, 31, failed to appear via video link at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday because he “can’t be bothered”, staff at HMP Long Lartin told the court.

The defendant was due to attend alongside Hayley Jones, 33, who has been charged with acting in a way “which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust”.

He must be reminded about the consequences of not being bothered to engage next time

Judge David Miller

A member of staff at Long Lartin told Judge David Miller via video link: “I despatched an officer at 13:30 to collect him from his prison cell.

“At 13:40 I got a message saying he had refused to attend because he can’t be bothered”.

Judge Miller asked the member of staff “Is that a quote?”, to which they responded “Yes”.

He added: “If he continues to refuse to engage with proceedings then proceedings will go ahead in his absence.

“He must be reminded about the consequences of not being bothered to engage next time.”

The member of prison staff told the court McSweeney had also refused to sign failure to attend documents.

McSweeney and Jones have been accused of having an inappropriate relationship at HMP Belmarsh.

Jones, of Strood in Kent, who appeared in person on Wednesday, is accused of misconduct in a public office between March 6 2023 and April 7 2023.

McSweeney has been charged with encouraging or assisting the commission of an indictable offence.

No pleas to the charges were entered during the short hearing.

The case has been adjourned until October 31.

McSweeney killed 35-year-old Ms Aleena as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London, in the early hours of June 26 2022.

He was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting sexually assaulting and murdering her.

In November 2023, he won a Court of Appeal bid to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence to 33 years.