Asylum Seeker Sentenced to Life for Vicious Murder of Hotel Worker in Walsall
A Sudanese asylum seeker, described as "demonic and inhuman" by the victim's family, has been handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 29 years for the murder of Rhiannon Whyte, a hotel worker in Walsall. Deng Chol Majek carried out a frenzied attack on Whyte at Bescot Stadium railway station on 20 October 2024, stabbing her 23 times in a brutal assault that has shocked the local community.
Details of the Tragic Attack and Investigation
Majek is believed to have entered the UK by small boat less than three months prior to the murder. He tracked Whyte, 27, to the station after she finished a shift at the Park Inn hotel, where he had been living. CCTV footage played at Wolverhampton Crown Court showed Majek disappearing onto a deserted platform for 90 seconds around 11.18pm, during which he inflicted 19 wounds to Whyte's head, including a fatal brain stem injury. She was found injured in a shelter on the platform by a train driver and guard about five minutes later and died in hospital three days after the attack.
Jurors deliberated for just over two hours before unanimously convicting Majek of murder and possessing a screwdriver as an offensive weapon. The trial revealed that Majek had lied about his age, claiming to be 19 despite authorities recording him as 27 during a failed asylum claim in Germany. Mr Justice Soole, presiding, sentenced him on the basis he was 26, noting that age assessments placed him between 25 and 28.
Family Statements and Court Proceedings
Whyte's family members attended Coventry Crown Court for the hearing, wearing white T-shirts with her picture, while groups outside waved England flags, with Tommy Robinson among the crowds. In a powerful statement, Rhiannon's sister Alex spoke on behalf of the family, including Whyte's now six-year-old son, describing Majek's actions as a "vicious and pitiless assault on a terrified and defenceless young woman." She added, "You brutalised Rhiannon and then partied as if nothing had happened. You might as well have danced on her grave."
Whyte's mother, Donna Whyte, also addressed Majek in court, saying, "Her name will not be forgotten, she will not be a distant memory. We will keep her alive in our memory. You, however, are an evil nightmare that will be put aside, known only for your cruel and malicious act." The family's emotional statements highlighted the profound devastation caused by the murder.
Background and Lack of Remorse
The trial heard that Majek had been reported to hotel security for "spookily" staring at female staff members, though no motive for the killing was established. After the attack, Majek walked to Caldmore Green to buy beer, was seen wiping blood from his trousers on CCTV, and returned to the hotel to change his bloodstained flip-flops before dancing in the car park as emergency vehicles arrived at the station.
Defence KC Gurdeep Garcha stated that Majek continues to deny guilt, offering no mitigation in terms of "knowledge, insight, regret or remorse." In sentencing, Mr Justice Soole emphasised the overwhelming evidence, including CCTV and DNA, and told Majek he had brought "devastation" to the Whyte family.
