Asylum seeker laughed after killing woman, jury told

An asylum seeker from Sudan accused of murdering a Walsall hotel worker on a railway platform was seen on CCTV following her to the station late at night, a court has heard.

Deng Majek, who claims to be 19 and denies murder, also danced and laughed after murdering 27-year-old Rhiannon Whyte in a "vicious and frenzied attack", Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Prosecutors allege he stabbed her 23 times with a screwdriver at Bescot Stadium railway station on 20 October 2024. She died three days later.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Michelle Heeley KC told the jury the defendant was "clearly excited about what he had done". Mr Majek denies murder.

CCTV shown to the jury on Tuesday showed Mr Majek staring at Ms Whyte in the hotel, following her to the station, running from the scene and throwing her phone into the river, the court heard.

Rhiannon Whyte's blood was found on Deng Majek's clothes, the court heard

Ms Heeley told the court Ms Whyte's blood was found on the defendant's clothes, while her DNA was discovered under his fingernails.

She said Mr Majek was seen on CCTV at the Park Inn Hotel in Walsall, laughing shortly after killing her.

The defendant had been living at the hotel, which houses asylum seekers, while Ms Whyte had worked there for about three months.

The court heard her job included cleaning and serving food and co-workers could not recall any issue which might have led to the attack.

"There had been an issue about some broken biscuits with some of the residents but nothing serious," Ms Heeley said.

The jury was shown CCTV footage on Tuesday

In a statement released following her death, Rhiannon Whyte's family described her as "selfless... brave, quirky, funny" and always there for other people.

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.

"He had been hanging around waiting for her to leave and waited until she was on her own before he followed her," Ms Heeley said.

The court was told Ms Whyte called a friend at 23:04 and he was seen on CCTV cameras closing the gap on her as she approached the deserted platform.

Ms Heeley said: "It was then that the prosecution say that this defendant attacked her."

Her friend heard a scream and then another scream, before the phone went dead at 23:19.

The prosecution said Mr Majek could then be seen running back up the stairs with an object in his hand, which they said was Ms Whyte's mobile phone.

Ms Heeley said he then went to a local shop to buy himself a drink before returning to the hotel.

Slumped on platform

She added: "In between the station and the hotel he had thrown Rhiannon's phone into a river.

"Once at the hotel he was seen dancing and laughing, clearly excited about what he had done."

The train she had been due to catch pulled in at 23:24 and the driver saw a figure slumped on the platform, the court was told.

Ms Heeley said the guard tried to help her, along with another employee from the hotel, but nothing could be done to save her and she died on 23 October, having never regained consciousness.

The court was told 11 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.

Ms Heeley said: "He left her bleeding to death and then casually went back to his hotel. We say you can be sure he is guilty of murder."

The trial is expected to last about three weeks.

Police were at the station following the incident