A sexual predator on Friday (18) pleaded guilty to the murder of the 35-year-old law graduate Zara Aleena.
Jordan McSweeney, 29, also confessed to sexually assaulting Aleena as she headed home in the early hours of June 26 from a night out in Ilford, east London.
Horrified onlookers discovered Aleena gasping for air and partially naked. Despite being taken to the hospital, she succumbed to multiple injuries.
Reports said that McSweeney had 28 previous convictions for offences including assault and had only recently been released from prison.
When the unfortunate incident happened, he was on licence from serving a sentence for criminal damage, racially aggravated harassment and unauthorised possession of a knife in prison.
Aleena was stamped on by the attacker, who then left her bleeding profusely and struggling to breathe, according to surveillance footage.
Before deciding to target Aleena, McSweeney had been prowling the area that evening and keeping an eye on a number of other ladies.
Police arrested McSweeney at a caravan where he was living on June 27. a bag full of blood-stained clothes and shoes were recovered from the vehicle.
He refused to answer questions and told officers he had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
During the brief hearing, McSweeney stood in the dock and stared at the floor as he entered his guilty pleas while Zara's family looked on in court.
According to reports, McSweeney had relationships with other girls and women, and at least one was under the age of consent.
Nadia, who is not using her real name, admitted she had previously met McSweeney on a night out when he was 18.
She said: "We were always at his mate’s house or if it was just me and him we’d be in the car driving. We never went to any pubs, nothing like that, I was too young.”
The relationship ended when Nadia realised she was pregnant from a previous relationship.
After many years she got a random message from him on Facebook. Later they met but she then left her son’s car seat in his vehicle.
When she contacted him to get it back he told her something unsettling.
She said: “He said the car was with the police and I’d have to go down to the station to get it. I was just like 'I’ll get a new one'."
They lost contact again and she was unaware that McSweeney had been charged with the murder of Aleena.
When she was told, she said: "I knew he was bad and he was a little sh*t. But I never thought he’d do anything like that."
Senior Crown Prosecutor Olcay Sapanoglu said: "We welcome today the guilty pleas by Jordan McSweeney to the murder and sexual assault of Zara Aleena. McSweeney did not display a shred of humanity towards Zara. Indeed, having completed his initial assault he returned to inflict further injuries, leading to her death. At no stage during his police interviews did he express any sorrow for his actions.
"Zara’s family will never recover from the senseless loss of their daughter, but I hope that these guilty pleas bring them some comfort."
Farah Naz, Aleena's aunt, has previously praised her as independent and big-hearted, saying she "was the joy, the light of our home" and that the family were committed to effecting lasting change in society.
The court has adjourned sentencing until December 14.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)