Prison teacher accused of ‘inappropriate relationship’ with sex offender who murdered Zara Aleena

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The man who murdered Zara Aleena as she walked home from a night on the town has appeared in court with a prison workshop leader who was charged with having an “inappropriate relationship” with him in prison.

Hayley Jones, 33, behaved in a manner “which amounted to an abuse of public trust” during her relationship with Jordan McSweeney, 31, who is serving a minimum 33-year sentence at HMP Belmarsh for Aleena's murder.

McSweeney, who killed the 35-year-old law graduate in the early hours of June 26, 2022, nine days after his release from prison, as she walked home from a late-night party in Ilford, east London, appeared via video link at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Ms Jones, from Strood in Kent, who appeared in person, is accused of abuse of office between 6 March 2023 and 7 April 2023 – an offence that could result in a life sentence.

McSweeney was charged with encouraging or aiding in the commission of a criminal offense.

During a brief hearing on Wednesday, the case at Woolwich Crown Court was adjourned until September 25.

Ms Jones was granted conditional bail and is not permitted to contact McSweeney or visit the prison where he is being held.

Aleena’s aunt Farah Naz told MailOnline that her family was “deeply disappointed” that McSweeney and Ms Jones allegedly had a sexual relationship.

She said: “We need to investigate the management practices, staff vetting and oversight of Belmarsh Prison.

“We need to investigate how and why a sex offender and murderer of women was apparently left alone with a member of staff.”

McSweeney was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting sexually abusing and murdering Aleena.

In November 2023, he won an appeals court attempt to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence to 33 years.

At an inquest in June this year, Aleena's aunt told the jury at East London Coroner's Court in Walthamstow that the family are “tormented by the thought that her death could have been prevented and that our state system, which we entrusted with Zara, has failed us”.

She added that her niece's murder had “highlighted the crumbling justice system that is supposed to protect us all, especially women and girls.”

Ms Naz said: “Since her death, we have been committed to ensuring that our daughters, sisters and friends are safe and protected in a way that Zara never was. That is Zara's legacy.”

In one portrait, Ms Naz became emotional as she told the jury about her niece's “sparkling eyes and curly jet-black hair” and “gorgeous laugh”.

Ms Naz said Aleena had cared for her mother and grandmother, “the rock of our family”, and it was the “proudest moment for all of us” when she was offered a job as a legal assistant at the Royal Courts of Justice.

She described her niece as “a carefree spirit with the most caring heart” and said she had campaigned for the settlement of refugees in the UK.

Ms Naz said: “2022 was supposed to be the year she could achieve her wildest dreams. She wanted to buy a home, find the right man and have children. The future looked bright.”

She added: “One of the things she always said with confidence was, 'I know I'm a good person.'

“If she could speak here today, she would say: 'I have done nothing wrong.'”