تدليك منطقة العجان

A Sudanese asylum seeker described as “demonic and inhuman” has been jailed for at least 29 years for a vicious attack on a woman who was working at the hotel where he was living.

Deng Chol Majek is believed to have entered the UK by small boat less than three months before launching a frenzied assault on mother-of-one Rhiannon Whyte at Bescot Stadium railway station in Walsall on October 20 2024, stabbing her 23 times.

Majek is said to have tracked Ms Whyte to the station after she finished a shift at the Park Inn hotel, where he had been living, at 11pm before inflicting 19 wounds to her head, including a fatal brain stem injury.

Ms Whyte’s family branded Majek “demonic and inhuman” in statements made in court on Friday as he was handed a life sentence.

CCTV played at Majek’s trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court showed he disappeared from view on to a deserted platform for 90 seconds at around 11.18pm to attack Ms Whyte, 27, whose son was aged five at the time.

She died in hospital three days later, after being found injured in a shelter on the platform by the driver and guard of a train which pulled in about five minutes after the attack.

Jurors deliberated for two hours and five minutes before unanimously convicting Majek of murder and possessing a screwdriver as an offensive weapon.

Majek is said to have lied to the court about his age, claiming to be 19 despite a date of birth making him 27 being recorded by authorities during a failed asylum claim in Germany.

Presiding, Mr Justice Soole said Deng Chol Majek maintained he was aged 18 when he entered the UK in July 2024 but age assessments had concluded he was actually aged between 25 and 28, with the judge sentencing him on the basis he was 26.

Ms Whyte’s family members arrived at Coventry Crown Court for the hearing wearing white T-shirts with her picture on them as groups of people waved England flags outside the building, and far-right Tommy Robinson joined the crowds.

In an emotional statement to the court, Rhiannon’s sister Alex said she was speaking on “behalf of me and my broken-hearted siblings Emma, Daniel and Cara, and Rhiannon’s two nieces and seven nephews. Most importantly for her now six-year-old son”.

She said Majek carried out a “vicious and pitiless assault on a terrified and defenceless young woman who he claims never to have spoken to or noticed”.

Addressing Majek, who showed no emotion, Ms Whyte added: “I honestly feel that calling you demonic and inhuman is justifiable in the circumstances. What are we supposed to say?

“You brutalised Rhiannon and then partied as if nothing had happened. You celebrated. You might as well have danced on her grave.”

The trial heard Majek had been reported to security at the hotel after “spookily” staring at three female staff members for prolonged periods.

No motive for the killing was given at the trial, but Majek had brushed past Ms Whyte earlier in the evening as he left the hotel to smoke.

After inflicting fatal injuries on Ms Whyte, Majek walked to the Caldmore Green area of Walsall to buy beer and was recorded on CCTV seemingly wiping blood from his trousers.

He returned to the hotel at 12.13am, changed his bloodstained flip-flops for trainers, and was seen dancing with other residents in the car park, within sight of emergency vehicles called to the station.

Rhiannon’s mother Siobhan Whyte also gave a statement in court, telling Majek “let me see you dancing now”.

She said: “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.

“By the grace of God, I hope you never see the outside world again.”

Defence KC Gurdeep Garcha said Majek continues to deny he was the person who murdered Ms Whyte.

He said: “When he was interviewed by a probation officer in late November last year, the defendant denied he was guilty of the offences of which the jury convicted him.

“He maintains his denial and maintains his innocence. In that sense, we offer no mitigation in terms of knowledge, insight, regret or remorse.”

He added: “There is no dispute that this is a case of a 25-year starting point.

“We invite my lord to reflect upon whether there was significant premeditation. We can’t dispute there was some degree of premeditation, the weapon was concealed and he followed Ms Whyte some distance to the train station.”

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Soole told Majek he had brought “devastation” to the family of Ms Whyte as he imposed a life sentence.

“The evidence against you, in particular CCTV and DNA, was overwhelming,” he said.

“You continue to deny that you were the assailant.

“The court is thus left with no explanation of what possessed you to murder a member of the hotel staff, who together with her colleagues, had been serving and helping you and your fellow residents.

“It will be for the Parole Board to say at that time whether or not you will be released, if the board considers that it remains necessary for the protection of the public, you will remain in custody.

“If and when you are released, you will still be subject to licence, and this will remain the case for the rest of your life.

“If, for any reason your licence were revoked, you would be recalled to prison to continue to serve your life sentence in custody.”

The judge said Majek had taken a screwdriver to the scene of the murder and used it to kill Ms Whyte.

“I am sure that you brought it to the scene with the intent to murder Rhiannon,” the judge said.

“I am sure that the offence involved a significant degree of premeditation.

“The CCTV shows that for substantial parts of the evening of October 20 you had been in the reception area of the hotel and staring fixedly in the direction of the group of female employees, including Rhiannon, who were working there.

“Then at the time of the end of Rhiannon’s shift, you went outside by the main entrance after Rhiannon had come out, you then followed her all the way to the station platform armed with your weapon.

“Secondly, the particularly vicious brutality of this sustained assault with your chosen weapon. Thirdly, its commission against a woman alone late at night in a public place. Fourthly, your disposal of evidence with the intent of escaping detection.

“The CCTV evidence shows you throwing Rhiannon’s mobile into the river. It was later retrieved by a police diver. You evidently disposed of the screwdriver.”

He added that Majek had showed “no empathy for the victim”.

He said: “You have provided the court with no explanation for your conduct, nor any reliable basis to consider any suggested mitigating factors.

“I see no basis for this statutory mitigating factor which arises where the intent was to cause serious bodily harm rather than to kill.

“Having regard to every aspect of your conduct, before, during and after the assault on Rhiannon, I am sure that your intent was to kill.

“In my judgment, your age and level of maturity provide no mitigation.

“The evidence shows a level of maturity which is consistent with your true age, and indeed, a chilling composure in every aspect of your behaviour.”

Serco, which ran the hotel where Majek was being housed, said it stopped using the hotel to house asylum seekers the same month Ms Whyte was killed.

A Serco spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with Ms Whyte’s family. We are pleased that her killer has been brought to justice.”

Giving a statement to the media after the sentencing, senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell from British Transport Police, said Majek’s attack was “frenzied, sadistic and unprovoked” and urged people to remember Ms Whyte instead of her killer’s actions.

He said: “On October 20 2024, Rhiannon Whyte was brutally and senselessly murdered at Bescot Stadium as she made her way home from work.

“Her killer may have been sentenced to life imprisonment today, but no sentence or outcome will ever really be justice for Rhiannon’s family and friends, who continue to live with this insurmountable, horrific loss.

“Their own life sentence began in October 2024, the moment Rhiannon was brutally taken from them.

“It was a frenzied, sadistic and unprovoked attack which her killer carried out on an innocent young woman he barely even knew.

“He laughed, danced and joked around in the moments after what happened. To this day he has never shown any remorse or given any explanation for why he decided to murder Rhiannon that night.

“His callous indifference has played out every day in court for Rhiannon’s poor family to see in person.

“I would like to pay tribute to them once again for their extraordinary strength and dignity they continue to show in the face of one of the most truly traumatic things a family could ever have to go through. I have no doubt that Rhiannon would be immensely proud of them.

“As we close this chapter, it is important to remember Rhiannon for the person she was. Her kindness, her energy and the joy she brought to those around her, rather than the person responsible for her death.

“Today’s sentence ensures he will face the consequences of his actions but it is Rhiannon’s life and legacy that should live on.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said Ms Whyte’s murder was the “consequence of mass illegal migration”.

He said: “Given the timing of his illegal entry by small boat, he would have been eligible for deportation to Rwanda.

“If Labour had allowed the Rwanda scheme to start as planned, this man could have been rapidly deported instead of being put up in an asylum hotel.

“This murder could have been averted, and Labour must now explain why they think this man should have been in the UK, not Rwanda.

“It is now clearer than ever that we must leave the ECHR and deport all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival.”