'heinous crime'
Probation blunders left ‘ticking timebomb’ sex predator free to kill Zara Aleena
A STRING of probation blunders left a "ticking timebomb" free to murder Zara Aleena days after he was freed from jail.
Jordan McSweeney had been released from a prison sentence just days before he pounced on the 35-year-old as she walked home in Ilford, East London.
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A scathing report has now highlighted a catalogue of errors in the Probation Service’s handling of the killer.
Shockingly, McSweeney - who had a string of convictions and a history of violence - had been freed from prison on licence just nine days before the murder.
His licence was revoked after failing to meet probation officers but he was not recalled to prison.
This meant the predator, who was jailed for life for murder, was free to roam the streets hunting for a victim.
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Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said: “He should have been considered a ‘high risk of serious harm’ offender.
"If he had, more urgent action would have been taken to recall him to prison.
“The Probation Service failed to do so, and he was free to commit this most heinous crime.”
On the night of Zara's murder, McSweeney was captured on CCTV stalking the streets of East London.
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At least four other women managed to escape the killer's clutches as followed them in the darkness.
One even ran for safety into a home on the same street were Zara was brutally murdered.
After setting his sights on the law graduate, McSweeney dragged her into a driveway where he repeatedly kicked and stamped on her.
Zara was discovered partially clothed and struggling to breath by horrified neighbours who heard her screams.
The prosecutor said she had been attacked with "savagery that is almost impossible to believe".
A post-mortem gave her cause of death as blunt force trauma injury and neck compression.
McSweeney was described as a "damaged" person from a troubled childhood in court.
His ex-girlfriend Stella Lowe also told how how the brute was a "ticking time bomb".
MCSweeney was on licence at the time of the brutal killing for criminal damage, racially aggravated harassment and unauthorised possession of a knife in prison.
The predator has 28 previous convictions for 69 offences - including burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, driving offences, criminal property, assaults on police and assaults on members of the public.
Despite his grim rap sheet, McSweeney had not been called back to prison after his licence was revoked.
Two probation workers were investigated as a result of the blunder but no further action was taken.
Mr Russell has now called for an urgent review into how staff gauge the risk criminals pose to others.
He warned that until standards improve, it is "impossible to say that the public is being properly protected" from the dangers posed by criminals on probation.
Prisons and probation minister Damian Hinds said: "This was a despicable crime and I apologise unreservedly to Zara Aleena's family for the unacceptable failings in this case.
"We are taking immediate steps to address the serious issues raised by the Jordan McSweeney and Damien Bendall cases. This includes mandatory training to improve risk assessments, implementing new processes to guarantee the swift recall of offenders and we have taken disciplinary action where appropriate.
"We are also investing £155 million a year into the Probation Service to recruit the thousands more officers who will deliver tougher supervision, protect the public and ensure these sorts of tragedies can never happen again."
The report comes days after the watchdog revealed another list of failings by probation workers before Damien Bendall's killing spree.
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The monster, who had a criminal past stretching back to 2004, murdered his pregnant partner, her two kids and an 11-year-old pal in a brutal killing in Killamarsh.
A report found the Probation Service's handling of Bendall was of an "unacceptable standard" at every stage.
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