A man from Croydon has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years for the brutal murder of a man at a hotel in Surrey. Jermaine Lee, 32, of Gorse Road, was found guilty of killing Khalilur Rahman at the Woking Hotel in Chertsey Road, Woking on August 26 last year.
The body of the 44-year-old victim was discovered by a member of staff in one of the hotel's bedrooms. A post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Rahman had suffered 15 blows to his face, body and arms before dying from a head injury.
During a two-week trial at Guildford Crown Court, the jury heard that Lee launched an unprovoked attack on Mr Rahman. After a brief verbal altercation in a hotel room, Lee punched the victim multiple times before striking him with a piece of wood. Lee admitted manslaughter at the start of the trial but denied murder.
Detective Superintendent Karen Mizzi described the attack as a “viciously brutal and sustained assault”, adding that the sentence reflected the “severity and impact of this horrendous crime”. She noted that Lee refused to engage with police or admit guilt, forcing the victim's family to endure the trauma of hearing the horrific details during the trial.
In a statement, Mr Rahman's family said “justice has been served”, adding: “Nothing will bring Khalilur back but this verdict goes a small way in allowing us to move forwards.” Lisa Jane Warner, 35, of Milton Keynes, who was present during the attack, admitted assisting an offender.
