Zara Aleena's aunt calls for law creating duty to act when someone is in danger

The aunt of murdered law graduate Zara Aleena is calling for a new law which would require bystanders to step in when they see people in danger.

The 35-year-old was killed by a prolific offender in June 2022 as she walked home after drinks with a friend in east London.

It follows a report by Lady Elish Angiolini into the prevention of sexually motivated crimes against women in public, published four years after the rape and murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021.

One of its recommendations was the government should encourage more people to take action when they see bad behaviour and consider introducing a so-called Good Samaritan law.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said the government would carefully consider the recommendations.

Ms Aleena's aunt, Farah Naz, told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme a new law would not mean witnesses putting themselves at risk, as stepping in could involve phoning the police, adding it was about creating "cultural change".

She said Lady Elish's report stated the safety of women in public required "whole society action" and communities should feel "liberated to act".

"My proposal for a Good Samaritan law is exactly that," said Ms Naz. "It creates legal duty to act when someone is clearly in danger, offering protection and obligation."

She continued: "We're being told that women are not safe in public spaces and they have to be responsible for their own safety.

"So the state does need to be acting with urgency to make women feel safe, they have a right to feel safe in public spaces."

Countries around the world that enforce some kind of Good Samaritan law, legally protecting those who do assist from fear of being sued for "ordinary negligence", include the US, Canada and Finland.

Meanwhile Germany, Italy, Poland and Portugal all have a 'duty to rescue law' - rather than a Good Samaritan Law - making it a criminal offence to fail to provide assistance in an emergency, if they can reasonably do so without putting their own life at risk.

Sexual predator Jordan McSweeney was captured on CCTV stalking the streets of Ilford approaching women before he pounced on and fatally beat Ms Aleena.

The 29-year-old had been released from prison just nine days before he stalked, assaulted and murdered Ms Aleena in what was described as a "brutal attack".

Ms Naz said Lady Elish's report "brings pain" but was necessary "because it shows how the system failed, and still fails to stop dangerous men from roaming the streets".

"The report calls out systemic failure which occurred both in the case of Sarah and Zara. Systemic failure led to their murders," she added.

The Angiolini Inquiry was launched in 2021, following the abduction, rape and murder of Ms Everard, 33, by serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens.

It looked at how Couzens was able to carry out his crimes, and wider issues within policing and women's safety.

The first report, published in February 2024, found a number of failings, concluding that Ms Everard's killer should never have been a police officer, highlighting opportunities were missed to stop him.

Lady Elish recommended that by September 2024, police forces should ensure they have a specialist policy on investigating all sexual offences, including "non-contact" offences like indecent exposure.

The latest stage of the inquiry was told the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) had developed guidance to support forces with this, but as of September this year 26% of police forces had not implemented the recommendation.

Recommendations in her second report, published on Tuesday, included improving information and programmes to create a culture of positive masculinity for men and boys, and targeted, consistent public messaging about how to report crimes.

Speaking in the foreword of the inquiry's second report, Sarah's mother Susan Everard said: "I am not yet at the point where happy memories of Sarah come to the fore.

"When I think of her. I can't get past the horror of her last hours."