Chilling CCTV showed at least four women managed to get away from the clutches of sexual predator Jordan McSweeney in the hours before he murdered Zara Aleena.
McSweeney, 29, had been drinking heavily before being kicked out of a Wetherspoons pub for harassing a barmaid on the night he savagely beat Ms Aleena to death.
Police recovered extensive CCTV footage showing the killer’s movements after leaving the pub, revealing his determination to have sex with a woman – whether she consented or not.
Footage shows one woman “running for her life” with McSweeney obsessively pursuing her, and another who took refuge in a home in the same road that Ms Aleena was murdered.
The Old Bailey heard the barmaid at the Great Spoon of Ilford was left feeling “extremely uncomfortable” earlier in the evening after McSweeney pestered her and continued to make unwanted advances.
After being kicked out of the bar, he stripped off to his prison-issue vest and targeted the first woman he came across.
“She looked over her shoulder several times to see where he is”, said prosecutor Oliver Glasgow KC, introducing CCTV showing the woman taking refuge in the Kapadokya Food Centre
“Once inside the shop, the woman walked down one of aisles and then waited inside looking back towards the door.
“Meanwhile, Jordan McSweeney walked past and looked inside, and then turned around in order to walk past and look inside again – it is obvious that he has seen the woman go inside and is waiting for her to leave.
“When she did not come out, he walked inside to look for her. He walked around the shop and almost bumped into her. He appears to try to pretend that this was an accident but the look on her face shows that she is shocked and frightened.
“Rooted to the spot, she watched him leave and then she turned back to go into the shop. Jordan McSweeney left the shop and looked back over his shoulder to check that the woman he has been following is still there. He then ran around the outside of the vegetable display and hid behind it.”
The woman left the shop while looking to see where McSweeney had gone.
“She was right to be concerned”, said Mr Glasgow. “Seconds after she turned to leave, Jordan McSweeney emerged from his hiding place and started to follow her.”
CCTV shows she turned down a side street and started to run, as McSweeney loses sight of her but spends time hunting for her before eventually jogging back to the main road.
She must be aware that he is behind her, and she is now running for her life”, said Mr Glasgow.
“That young woman had a very lucky escape since, had she been caught, by Jordan McSweeney, she would have been attacked and killed.”
Jordan McSweeney targeted another woman at the Samiz Chicken Shop in Romford Road, staring at her with his hand down his trousers while the woman is unaware of his attentions.
McSweeney then went outside the takeaway, standing “out of sight” while checking the woman was still inside, the prosecutor said.
“She is completely unaware that he is waiting for her outside.”
McSweeney starts to follow her when she leaves, but his attention is then distracted by another woman outside the Aston Community Centre.
He put his arm around her and his hand between her legs before they walk away together. However, after a short discussion, the woman walked away from McSweeney.
He then spent 50 minutes stalked along Cranbrook Road, the scene of the murder, and just before 2am he pursued another young woman.
Two passing men stopped in concern after seeing McSweeney approaching the woman from behind. The woman then realised the danger she was in.
“She repeatedly looks over her shoulder to see where he is”, said Mr Glasgow. “She is now aware of the danger she is in.
“McSweeney gesticulated towards her with his arms, as if to indicate that he did not mean her any harm. Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth.
“He continued to follow her along Northbrook Road, into Belgrave Road and into Empress Avenue. He overtook her and pretended to enter one of the houses.
“Fortunately for the young lady, she enters a property on the other side of the street before she goes past Jordan McSweeney who is hiding in a driveway.
“Once she is now out of sight and behind the closed door, Jordan McSweeney, whose plans have not yet come to fruition, walked back in the direction that he had come.”
Ms Aleena was attacked at around 2.15am, after a night out with a friend. CCTV also captured the moment McSweeney grabbed her from behind after trailing her on her walk home.
“McSweeney waited for his opportunity to strike and, as soon as he believed that no one was watching, that is exactly what he did”, said the prosecutor.
“Jordan McSweeney grabbed Zara Aleena from behind with both arms; one arm appears to cover her mouth, and the other appears to go around her neck.
“She was dragged backwards into the paved driveway and taken to the ground in the corner of the drive.
“She did all she could to fight him off, but she had no idea he was behind her and she must have been terrified as the bigger and stronger Jordan McSweeney dragged her into the darkness and out of sight from any potential rescuer.”
McSweeney’s blooodstained trainers were found at the funfair where he was living in a caravan.
He was seen laughing and joking with friends after carrying out the murder.
McSweeney was jailed for life by Mrs Justice Cheema Grubb at the Old Bailey.
