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| Zara Aleena murder: Raab seeks to force convicts to appear at sentencing | Zara Aleena murder: Raab seeks to force convicts to appear at sentencing |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Zara Aleena, 35, was attacked by Jordan McSweeney near her home in Ilford in June 2022 | Zara Aleena, 35, was attacked by Jordan McSweeney near her home in Ilford in June 2022 |
| Convicted criminals could be forced to appear in court for sentencing, the justice secretary has told Zara Aleena's family. | Convicted criminals could be forced to appear in court for sentencing, the justice secretary has told Zara Aleena's family. |
| Dominic Raab is examining whether judges should be able to impose longer terms on those who refuse to appear. | Dominic Raab is examining whether judges should be able to impose longer terms on those who refuse to appear. |
| Ms Aleena's killer Jordan McSweeney refused to attend his sentencing, something her family described as "a slap in the face". | Ms Aleena's killer Jordan McSweeney refused to attend his sentencing, something her family described as "a slap in the face". |
| It is understood the plans are at an early stage. | It is understood the plans are at an early stage. |
| Mr Raab revealed his plans during a meeting with Ms Aleena's aunt, Farah Naz. | Mr Raab revealed his plans during a meeting with Ms Aleena's aunt, Farah Naz. |
| After meeting, Ms Naz told the BBC it had been "a slap in the face" that McSweeney had the right not to attend the hearing. | After meeting, Ms Naz told the BBC it had been "a slap in the face" that McSweeney had the right not to attend the hearing. |
| "He needed to look at our faces and see how he hadn't just killed Zara, he had killed a whole family," she said. | "He needed to look at our faces and see how he hadn't just killed Zara, he had killed a whole family," she said. |
| Sexual predator admits Zara Aleena stranger murder | Sexual predator admits Zara Aleena stranger murder |
| Law graduate's family 'destroyed' after her murder | Law graduate's family 'destroyed' after her murder |
| How Zara's killer trailed lone women before murder | How Zara's killer trailed lone women before murder |
| Ms Aleena, 35, was killed in an attack near her home in Ilford, east London, in June last year. | Ms Aleena, 35, was killed in an attack near her home in Ilford, east London, in June last year. |
| McSweeney, who was jailed for 38 years for her murder, was condemned as "spineless" by Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb for failing to appear in court. | McSweeney, who was jailed for 38 years for her murder, was condemned as "spineless" by Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb for failing to appear in court. |
| Convicted criminals in other serious cases have also refused to appear. | |
| It means they do not hear victim personal statements which are read out in court before sentencing. | |
| Primary school teacher Sabina Nessa was murdered in 2021 by Koci Selamaj | |
| The family of Sabina Nessa, who was killed in a random attack in Kidbrooke, south-east London, in 2021, were also unable to face her murderer who refused to appear at his sentencing. | |
| Her sister, Jebina Islam, said it was "outrageous" that "my sister's killer was able to decide whether or not to come to court" and had "refused to listen to our family impact via link". | |
| She has been campaigning to make convicts appear in court. | |
| "Me and my family will never know why he murdered my sister and this will haunt us for the rest of our lives," she added. | |
| "No one will understand the pain we are going through each day without our amazing bright Sabina and still not knowing why he killed her." | |
| Mr Raab is in discussion with officials about how to bring in the changes. | Mr Raab is in discussion with officials about how to bring in the changes. |
| Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Dominic Raab | Dominic Raab |
| London violence | London violence |
| London | London |
| Newham London Borough Council | Newham London Borough Council |
| Ilford | Ilford |