'Shallow triumph'...family's anger as Zara Aleena killer's prison term is cut

ZARA Aleena's murderer has won an appeal to have his life sentence reduced from 38 years to 33.

- Michael Knowles

The slain law graduate's family said it was a "shallow triumph" for Jordan McSweeney who brutally killed Zara as she walked home from a night out.

McSweeney, who refused to attend his sentencing last December, launched a bid to reduce the minimum term of his imprisonment last month.

And in a ruling yesterday, three judges at the Court of Appeal cut the sentence, describing the original 38-year term "manifestly excessive".

Zara's family branded McSweeney's move "repugnant" and said the judges' decision sends a "disheartening" message to women.

McSweeney, 30, violently attacked Zara, 35, in East London on June 26, 2022, leaving the trainee solicitor with 46 injuries. The sentencing judge found he took Zara's phone to prevent her calling for help.

Yesterday McSweeney attended proceedings via videolink from Long Lartin prison, Worcs, as Lady Chief Justice Lady Carr revised the original sentence imposed by Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb. Lady Carr said: