THE government must “shoulder its share of responsibility” for the long-term failures in the probation service that contributed to the murder of Zara Aleena, Labour has said. 

Shadow justice secretary Steve Reed said ministers had failed to act with urgency to tackle staff shortages and excessive workloads in the service, despite several key recommendations to do so by inspectors. 

These problems were cited in a damning report by Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell on Monday that unveiled how serious failings by probation officers had left violent sex offender John McSweeney free to murder and sexually assault Ms Aleena.

The 29-year-old attacked Ms Aleena, a law graduate, as she was walking home in Ilford, east London, nine days after he was released from prison. 

Mr Sweeney should have been classed as a high-risk offender, given his long violent record, including against women, and recalled to prison after missing appointments.

However he was incorrectly assessed by probation officers as being of “medium risk.”

Ms Aleena’s aunt Farah Naz has described the report as “extremely distressing.”

“Zara’s life was taken, and probation have blood on their hands,” she said. “She would have been alive today if probation had done their jobs better.”

Others pinned the blame today on government policies, including former justice secretary Chris Grayling’s disastrous privatisation of the probation service before it was brought back into public hands. 

Mr Russell said on Tuesday that there was a “chronic” shortage of probation officers across England, and particularly in London, where half of posts remain unfilled in some boroughs. 

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Reed said: “The fact is these are all problems the government knew about but failed to act on with urgency. For that reason the government must shoulder its share of responsibility.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the failures outlined in the report were “symptomatic of 13 years of chaotic government policy on probation and cuts to the criminal justice service.

“This awful tragedy of Zara being murdered by Jordan McSweeney would not have happened but for the government’s policies.”

Probation workers’ union Napo said the reports laid bare the “acute” staffing crisis in the service in London.

Napo general secretary Ian Lawrence said the service was still “trying to repair” from the government’s failed seven-year privatisation policy, adding that ministers have “much to answer for.” 

In a statement, prisons and probation minister Damian Hinds apologised “unreservedly” to Ms Aleena’s family for the “unacceptable failings” in this case.