'Demonic' Sudanese asylum seeker who murdered British mother jailed for life

After following her onto the train platform, Majek stabbed her more than 20 times, including 11 to the head. Whyte died three days later from a brain stem injury.

Sentencing Majek, Mr Justice Soole said: "With the greatest courage Rhiannon had tried to defend herself against your frenzied brutality."

He continued: "The evidence against you, in particular from the CCTV and DNA was overwhelming, you continued to deny you were the assailant.

"You brought a weapon to the scene and used it in the murder; I am sure you brought it to the scene with the intent of murdering Rhiannon."

Turning to the Whyte family after sentencing, Mr Justice Soole said: "No words of mine can provide comfort to you and begin to the suffering you got through and your terrible loss."

During the hearing, it was confirmed by prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC, and Mr Justice Soole, Deng Majek has been examined as being over the age of 21 and most likely 26 at the time of the offence. During the trial, the asylum seeker had claimed he was 19.

Prosecutor Michelle Healey KC said: "There was significant degree of premeditation. We submit he waited to see who was most vulnerable. He then concealed a weapon and followed Rhiannon before committing the murder."

Speaking on behalf of his client during the sentencing hearing, defence counsel Gurdeep Garcha KC said: "When he was interviewed by probation officers in late November, the defendant denied he was guilty of the offences of which he was convicted and retained his innocence.

"We offer no mitigation in any aspect of acknowledgment, regret or remorse."

Deng Majek had been staying at the Park Inn Hotel, where Whyte worked, cleaning and serving food.

On October 20, 2024, CCTV showed Majek staring at Rhiannon as she was handing out snacks.

During the trial, a witness told Wolverhampton Crown Court they felt scared and "worried he was going to do something that night". They even informed the hotel’s security staff they "all felt intimidated".

After Whyte's shift ended at 11pm, she walked across the road to the Bescot Railway Station.

Unbeknownst to her, Majek had waited outside in the car park and started to follow. Wearing what the prosecution described as "distinctive clothing", he gradually got closer.

He walked up the steps to the station, and seconds later attacked Whyte on the train platform.

Majek was seen on CCTV leaving the train station, throwing Whyte's phone into the river, before walking to a shop to buy alcohol and return to the hotel.

Reading her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing, mother Donna Whyte said: "My statement is simple and uncomplicated because it’s impossible to explain the pain I’m feeling.

"Now because of this inexplicable, cruel action we must face life without her. My question is simply why? What possible reason did you have to take the life of this kind person?

"Her name will not be forgotten; she will not be a distant memory. You meanwhile will be forgotten, an evil nightmare that will be put aside."

She added: "There is no sentence that can be imposed that will equal the one you’ve condemned me to. By the grace of god I hope you never see the light of day again and just one thing, let me see you dancing now."

Alex Whyte, sister of Rhiannon, said in the hearing: "We were all given a life sentence when this ‘person’ conducted his vicious and pitiless assault on a terrified and defenceless young woman who he claims never to have spoken or noticed.

"The pain and suffering we have experienced since the horrific attack is something we still have to address every day, and I cannot see a time when this will not be the case.

"To add insult to injury, due to the cowardice of her attacker and his failure to face up to what he has done, we have had to sit and endure reliving Rhiannon’s last moments over and again in a very public setting.

"We now know from the evidence we had to listen to that she was brave. She fought for her life under a brutal, savage and frenzied attack from someone we see as inhuman, more like an animal."

Addressing Majek in the dock, Alex added: "To Deng Majek, Rhiannon showed so much more courage than you. You continue to show no remorse and to take no responsibility for your cowardly actions.

"We still don’t know or l understand why you stalked, hunted and preyed l upon Rhiannon. Cornering her before l unleashing your vicious and unprovoked attack. For what purpose!? Throughout this agonising court process, you have given us nothing. Why her? What had she done to you to deserve this callous treatment?

"You took advantage of our judicial system with your blatant ignorance and arrogance, subjecting my family to painfully detailed witness statements which reduced Rhiannon to being spoken about as evidence rather than the beautiful human she was."

"Mr Majek , we wish to see you spend the rest of your life alone and devoid of the love and warmth of the support of family and friends. You deserve no compassion, no leniency. We want to know that you will be condemned to spend your life paying for what you did. You can never repay your debt. Rhiannon was simply priceless to all of us."

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell, from the British Transport Police, called it a "cowardly" attack.

He said: "It was a brutal, cowardly and unprovoked attack on a vibrant, selfless young woman who had her whole life ahead of her. He has appeared completely unbothered, bored even throughout this trial, much to the distress of Rhiannon’s poor family."

As the emergency services arrived, footage recovered by the police shows the Sudanese asylum seeker laughing and dancing to music in the hotel car park.

The prosecution told the jury during the trial, Majek was "clearly excited by what he had done."

Forensic scientists found Whyte's blood on Majek’s jacket, trousers, shoes, and jewellery. DNA recovered from swabs of his fingernails were also a match. Jurors at Wolverhampton Crown Court deliberated for just two hours and five minutes before reaching a unanimous guilty verdict.

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