Search
07 Sept 2025
Search
07 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
A man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with murdering Zara Aleena.
Jordan McSweeney, of Dagenham, east London, allegedly kicked and stamped on the 35-year-old as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London, in the early hours of Sunday.
The 29-year-old defendant, who is also accused of robbing the law graduate of her mobile phone, keys and handbag, and attempted penetration without consent, appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday morning.
Ms Aleena was found bleeding and struggling to breathe with serious head injuries in a driveway in Cranbrook Road, Ilford, the court was told.
She was dragged on to the driveway before being kicked and stamped on, prosecutors allege.
A post-mortem examination found she had suffered multiple serious injuries.
McSweeney appeared via video link from HMP Thameside wearing a green jumper.
He was seen covering his face with his hands ahead of the hearing before sitting back in his chair.
He later pulled his jumper up over his face and fiddled with the microphone.
McSweeney spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.
He will next appear at the Old Bailey on September 30 for a plea hearing.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
