James Bovillat Wolverhampton Crown Court
British Transport Police
Rhiannon Whyte’s family described her as “the most selfless person”
An asylum seeker from Sudan danced and laughed after murdering a Walsall hotel worker in a “frenzied attack” on a train station platform, a court was told.
Prosecutors allege Deng Majek, who claims to be 19, stabbed 27-year-old Rhiannon Whyte 23 times with a screwdriver at Bescot Stadium train station on 20 October 2024. She died in hospital three days later.
Opening the case for the prosecution at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Michelle Heeley KC told the jury “you can be sure” the defendant had killed Ms Whyte.
Mr Majek denies murder.
The jury heard Mr Majek was seen on CCTV at the Park Inn Hotel in Walsall, “dancing and laughing, clearly excited about what he’d done”, shortly after killing Ms Whyte.
The defendant had been living at the hotel, which houses asylum seekers, while Ms Whyte had worked there for about three months.
Victim ‘the most selfless person’
In a statement released following her death, Rhiannon Whyte’s family, said she was “the most loved daughter, compassionate sister, loving auntie, gracious granddaughter, beautiful niece, wonderful cousin and devoted friend”.
“The most selfless person – you were brave, quirky, funny, and always there for anyone who needed it,” they added.
The prosecution said CCTV showed the defendant staring at Ms Whyte, before he followed her from the hotel to the railway station when she finished her shift at 23:00 BST.
Ms Whyte had been talking to a friend on the phone, who heard a scream, before the line went dead.
A train driver found her “slumped on the platform” a short time later.
Eleven of the 23 stab wounds penetrated her skull, one of which damaged the brain stem, causing her death.
She also had injuries to her chest and arm, indicating she had tried to defend herself, the court heard.
The puncture wounds had the appearance of a cross-headed screwdriver, which has never been found.
The jury was told the defendant’s jacket, sandals and ring had Rhiannon Whyte’s blood on them, and her DNA was found under Mr Majek’s fingernails.
Michelle Heeley KC, prosecuting, said he “meant to seriously hurt Rhiannon, to kill her… you can be sure that he is guilty.”
The trial is expected to last about three weeks.