Asylum seeker jailed for 29 years for Rhiannon Whyte murder

Asylum seeker jailed for 29 years for Rhiannon Whyte murder

An asylum seeker has received a life sentence after being convicted of murdering a hotel worker in 2024. Deng Majek fatally attacked 27-year-old Rhiannon Whyte at Bescot Stadium railway station in Walsall, stabbing her 23 times with a screwdriver during a rapid, violent assault. Following the incident, Majek was filmed on CCTV exhibiting calm and even celebratory behavior, dancing and laughing.

At Coventry Crown Court, Majek was sentenced to a minimum of 29 years in prison. During the sentencing, Rhiannon’s mother, Donna Whyte, addressed the court with visible emotion, expressing her pain directly to Majek. She declared, “I hope you never see the outside world again. Let me see you dancing now.” Donna described the immense loss, emphasizing that Rhiannon was not only her daughter but her closest companion. She lamented the brutal cruelty of the attack and the profound impact it had on her family’s lives, stating, “Because of Majek’s inexplicable, cruel and brutal actions, we must face life without her.”

The attack took place late in the evening on October 20, 2024, after Rhiannon finished her shift at the Park Inn Hotel and was walking to the train station while speaking on the phone. Majek launched the frenzied assault on the platform, delivering numerous stab wounds to her head and body, including a deep injury to the brain stem. Rhiannon was found unconscious by railway staff minutes after the attack and died in hospital three days later. The court was told there was no known motive for Majek’s actions. The judge praised Rhiannon’s efforts to defend herself amidst the “frenzied and sustained brutality.”

Following the attack, Majek took Rhiannon’s phone, turned it off, and disposed of it in a river before calmly wandering around Walsall, even purchasing beer, as CCTV footage revealed him dancing in a hotel car park. The judge remarked on Majek’s “chilling composure” throughout. Rhiannon’s sister, Alex Whyte, described his behavior as if he “may as well have danced on her grave.” It was revealed that Majek had arrived in the UK about three months prior via a small boat. Due to uncertainties about his age, an assessment was ordered. Despite Majek’s claim to be 19, the report confirmed he was over 21, with the judge estimating his age between 25 and 28.

During the trial, evidence showed Rhiannon’s blood on Majek’s clothes, shoes, and a ring he wore. When questioned about possessing her DNA under his fingernail, Majek denied any contact, a claim the jury rejected. Outside the court, Donna Whyte expressed relief at the sentencing but said that her family would carry a “life sentence” of grief. She vowed to hate Majek for the rest of her life but affirmed that her love for her daughter was stronger. The trial period had taken a toll on her family, with Rhiannon’s grandmother passing away shortly after the guilty verdict. The sentencing day saw anti-immigration protesters, including far-right activist Tommy Robinson, present outside the court, though he left soon after delivering a speech

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