Appalling & dispiriting
Aunt’s outrage at jail bosses having ‘vulnerable’ guard oversee predator who murdered Zara
KING Charles going public about his cancer has been a “wake-up call” for men to be more proactive in managing their health, a survey suggests.
His Majesty’s diagnosis has raised concerns about cancer for 28% of blokes.
Nearly half admit they are unsure of how to check for abnormalities.
And 30% do not check regularly – while around 20% have never checked.
More than half wish they were more knowledgeable and would attend a cancer screening if it was offered.
Dr Mariyam Malik of Pall Mall Medical, which polled 2,000 men, said: “The King’s announcement acted as a wake-up call.
“Men shouldn’t wait for alarming news to act. Early detection saves lives.”
Eccleston
THE aunt of tragic Zara Aleena has hit out at prison bosses for making a female officer colleagues described as vulnerable work with the sexual predator who murdered her niece.
Farah Naz said it was “appalling, disheartening, and dispiriting” that the woman, 32, was moved close to depraved Jordan Mcsweeney. We revealed earlier this year the officer and the killer allegedly had a four-month sexual relationship. And a whisteleblower has now revealed the officer was moved from the cell floor to overseeing prisoners, including Mcsweeney, packing boxes after complaining to HR about bullying from superiors at Belmarsh jail in South London. Ms Naz said Belmarsh officials had neglected their duty of care to the guard and called for an independent inspection of the Category A prison’s practices. She said: “I feel despair that not only was Zara failed by the justice system, it now appears this worker has been failed. There are questions to be asked. It appears Belmarsh’s reaction to a female employee complaining of bullying in the workplace was to move her to a place more suited to her needs.
Dangerous
“But that place put her into the path of Zara’s killer, one of the most dangerous prisoners in the country. Why would management put a vulnerable woman to work with a sexual predator? It is appalling, disheartening and dispiriting.” It has also emerged the woman was a full-time prison officer, not an agency worker, as first believed. Ms Naz added: “It is worse she was a full-time employee. Questions need to be asked about duty of care, supervision, assessment of worker capabilities, vulnerabilities.” Fairground worker Mcsweeney, 30, was jailed for at least 38 years in December 2022, reduced to 33 on appeal, for the murder of Zara, 35. The law graduate was sexually assaulted and beaten to death after being dragged off the street in Ilford, Essex, in June 2022.
During Mcsweeney’s alleged sexual relationship in jail, he is said to have locked himself and the woman in a room, with staff having to kick the door in. The worker was held for misconduct in a public office and bailed until July. But Ms Naz said she should be treated as “a victim of a sexual predator” and accused Belmarsh of a “cover-up”. The Ministry of Justice denied this. The Prison Service said it is clamping down on staff who undermine services and it could not comment on a live police probe.