Zara Aleena: Prison worker Hayley Jones accused of month-long fling with jailed murderer Jordan McSweeney

A prison workshop instructor has been accused of having an “inappropriate relationship” with the notorious murderer of Zara Aleena.

Hayley Jones, 33, is alleged to have had a “month-long fling” with Jordan McSweeney.

The teacher appeared in the dock at Wimbledon magistrates’ court on Wednesday while McSweeney was present via video link.

Ms Jones, from Strood in Kent, is accused of “wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification” misconducting herself in “a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust by engaging in an inappropriate relationship with McSweeney”.

McSweeney, his chin on his hand with his other arm folded, confirmed his identity. He is accused of participating in an “act or acts which were capable of encouraging or assisting”’ Ms Jones to offend by “engaging in an inappropriate relationship” with her.

The offences are alleged to have taken place at HMP Belmarsh between March 6, 2023 and April 7, 2023.

District Judge Andrew Sweet deemed the case too serious to be dealt with at a magistrates’ court and adjourned proceedings until September 25 when Jones must appear at Woolwich Crown Court.

Wearing a grey cardigan and a black T-shirt with her hair in a pony tail, Ms Jones spoke only to confirm her name and address.

Judge Sweet told her: “You have conditional bail not to contact, directly or indirectly, Jordan McSweeney and you must not go to any prison in which he is incarcerated.”

The case comes after a jury inquest ruled in June that failures ‘across multiple agencies’ contributed to Ms Aleena’s death.

McSweeney killed her as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, East London, in the early hours of June 26, 2022 – just nine days after he was freed from jail.

He is now at HMP Long Lartin, another Category A prison in Worcestershire.

The prolific criminal, who had 28 convictions for 69 crimes prior to Ms Aleena’s murder, had been released on licence but had breached his conditions and was recalled to prison on June 22.

The police were given powers to arrest him two days later, but delays in the necessary paperwork meant the police were unable to pick him up before he killed the law graduate.

McSweeney ambushed her and punched her in the back of the head before dragging her into a driveway and kicking her as she lay on the ground dying.

The brute sexually assaulted her before grabbing her handbag, mobile phone and keys.

He then walked away but returned moments later to deliver the fatal final blows.

Ms Aleena died in hospital from a blunt-force head injury and neck compression.

She had suffered 46 injuries and was “stamped and strangled to death”, the Old Bailey was told.

McSweeney was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years in December 2022 after admitting to sexually assaulting and murdering the young woman.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said at the time that she has “no doubt” McSweeney intended to kill Ms Aleena and claimed his decision not to come to court for sentencing showed he had “no spine whatsoever”.

In November 2023, he won a Court of Appeal bid to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence to 33 years – with three judges finding the sentencing judge had imposed too high an “uplift” to his minimum term.

Ms Aleena’s aunt Farah Naz revealed on Wednesday that the family is demanding an investigation into this latest alleged relationship.

She explained: “The inquest into our dear Zara’s death revealed systemic flaws that allowed her murder to occur. Now, we see possible evidence of more failures within the justice system.”

“This situation not only defies justice but also highlights serious systemic failures.”

Ms Naz called for a thorough examination of Belmarsh Prison’s management practices, staff screening and supervision.