CCTV cameras 'not monitored' ahead of Zara's murder

Zara Aleena, 35, was sexually assaulted and murdered in Ilford on 26 June 2022

CCTV cameras that captured footage of the hours leading up to Zara Aleena's murder were not being monitored at the time, an inquest was told.

Jordan McSweeney, a sexual predator with 28 previous convictions, killed the 35-year-old law graduate as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London, on 26 June 2022.

East London Coroner’s Court was played CCTV footage from that night, showing McSweeney walking up and down the streets around Cranbrook Road for about three hours, and following two women, including Ms Aleena, before he carried out the attack.

Sarah Foster, an operational manager at Redbridge Council, said those cameras, although "fully operational", were not being looked at.

She said there was one CCTV patrol officer on duty that night, and they were instead focused on cameras in areas identified by police as crime hotspots.

Ms Foster told the jury that for about an hour shortly before the attack on Ms Aleena, the CCTV patrol officer had been assisting police who were investigating a completely separate incident involving a stabbing in the Gants Hill area, and had been reviewing footage to help identify a suspect.

“Every camera was fully operational and working on that evening in real time,” she said.

“What we do is intelligence led."

She said the council's "comprehensive" CCTV programme was "instrumental" in being able to track down McSweeney.

"You could always have more cameras and more people but of course council resources are finite and we have to focus our limited resources," she added.

She said since Ms Aleena’s murder, the council had increased the cameras from 651 to 742 and had hired two more CCTV patrol officers.

CCTV footage shown at the inquest showed Ms Aleena being closely followed by Jordan McSweeney

McSweeney had been released on licence from prison nine days before killing Ms Aleena and had breached the terms of his probation.

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 38 years for her murder.

The inquest continues.