Asylum Seeker Receives Life Sentence for Vicious Screwdriver Murder of Mother
An asylum seeker who stabbed a young mother to death in a frenzied and brutal attack at a railway station has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years. Deng Chol Majek was convicted of murdering 27-year-old Rhiannon Whyte at Bescot Stadium railway station in Walsall in October 2024, in what police described as one of the most horrific cases they had ever encountered.
Details of the Vicious Attack Emerge in Court
The court heard that Majek, who is believed to have entered the UK by small boat less than three months prior to the killing, stabbed Rhiannon Whyte 23 times with a crosshead screwdriver. Nineteen of these wounds were inflicted on her head, with one causing a fatal brain stem injury. Mr Justice Soole, presiding over the case, stated that Majek had shown "particularly vicious brutality" and that there were no mitigating circumstances to consider.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell of the British Transport Police revealed that Rhiannon, who was about ten inches shorter than the 6ft 3in Majek, "never stood a chance" during the unprovoked assault. CCTV evidence showed that Majek had "tracked" Rhiannon on foot to the station before disappearing onto a deserted platform for approximately 90 seconds to carry out the attack around 11:18pm.
Chilling Behaviour Before and After the Murder
Prior to the murder, Majek had been reported to security at the Park Inn Hotel in Walsall, where Rhiannon worked, after he was seen staring "spookily" at three female staff members for prolonged periods. Following the fatal stabbing, Majek walked to the Caldmore Green area to purchase beer and was captured on CCTV apparently wiping blood from his trousers.
He then returned to the hotel at 12:13am, changed his bloodstained flip-flops for trainers, and was observed dancing and laughing with other residents in the car park, within sight of emergency vehicles that had been dispatched to the station. A housing officer based at the hotel testified that Majek almost seemed sad before the attack but appeared to be "back to himself" after Rhiannon was taken to hospital.
Questions Over Age and Background of the Killer
There are significant doubts regarding Majek's claimed age of 19. Authorities in Germany had previously been given a date of birth that would make him 28, and tests conducted since the trial confirm he is over 21. During his trial, Majek denied being the individual seen on CCTV tracking Rhiannon and claimed to have left a pregnant wife behind in Sudan.
The only agreed facts presented to the jury about his background were that he had no previous convictions or cautions and had been arrested in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in August 2023 for kicking a train door. No motive for the killing was established during the proceedings, though it was noted that Majek had brushed past Rhiannon earlier in the evening as he left the hotel to smoke.
Family's Heartbreaking Tributes to a Life Cut Short
Speaking outside the court after the sentencing, Alex Whyte, one of Rhiannon's three sisters, described her sibling as a person with "a beautiful and bright future" who was smart, kind, funny, caring, and hardworking. She stated that her family had been "handed a life sentence" when Majek launched his frenzied and unprovoked attack.
Alex Whyte scalded Majek for his apparent lack of remorse during the trial, emphasising that Rhiannon was "shown no mercy" and had fought desperately for her life. She also shared the profound impact on Rhiannon's five-year-old son, whose laughter and blue eyes remind the family of his mother. "We are so lucky to have him because we've got a piece of her. We get to watch her grow all over again," she said.
Sentencing and Future Considerations
Majek's minimum term of 29 years will be reduced by the time he has already spent in custody, meaning he can be considered for release after 27 years and 254 days. The driver and guard of a train that arrived at the platform about five minutes after the attack discovered Rhiannon injured in a shelter; she succumbed to her wounds in hospital three days later.
This case has highlighted the devastating consequences of violent crime and the enduring grief inflicted upon victims' families, who must navigate a future forever altered by such senseless acts of brutality.
