The grieving mother of a hotel worker brutally stabbed 23 times with a screwdriver by a Sudanese asylum seeker has publicly declared she holds Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer personally responsible for her daughter's death, stating unequivocally that he has 'blood on his hands'.
A Fatal Encounter at Bescot Station
Deng Chol Majek, the perpetrator, is believed to have entered the United Kingdom via a small boat crossing less than three months before launching a frenzied and fatal assault on mother-of-one Rhiannon Whyte. The attack occurred at Bescot Stadium railway station in Walsall on October 20, 2024. Ms Whyte had just completed her shift at the Park Inn hotel, which was being used to house asylum seekers, including Majek himself.
A Life Sentence Handed Down
Described by the victim's family as 'demonic and inhuman', Majek was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 29 years at Coventry Crown Court. Despite overwhelming forensic evidence placing him at the scene—including the victim's blood on his clothing and her DNA under his fingernails—Majek maintained his innocence throughout the trial, even denying his identity on CCTV footage.
A Mother's Anguish and Accusation
In a raw and emotional interview with GB News, Siobhan Whyte, Rhiannon's mother, laid the blame for the tragedy squarely at the door of the Prime Minister and the government. 'Starmer, the Government, for allowing this to happen,' she stated when asked where her anger was directed. 'There's so many cases that are brushed under the carpet.'
Ms Whyte expressed her belief that the failure of the nation's asylum policy had directly contributed to her daughter's murder. 'Starmer needs to be held accountable,' she insisted. 'If it was his family, Sadiq Khan, if it was their family, this wouldn't happen. This needs to stop.'
A Call for Accountability
She painted a picture of a systemic failure, highlighting other victims. 'There's cases of poor men, poor children, women being raped, attacked, beaten, murdered on a daily basis,' she said. 'Rhiannon's not the first case and sadly she won't be the last. But we were handed a life sentence the day I had to watch my daughter die. And where is Starmer? He's got blood on his hands.'
Ms Whyte challenged the Prime Minister's priorities, questioning, 'Would he be sitting there flying off to China and doing all this if it was his child, his wife, his niece, his family member? No, he would make a firm stance on it then, wouldn't he?'
The Brutal Details of the Crime
The court heard how Majek tracked the 27-year-old victim to the station after her late shift. CCTV evidence showed him disappearing onto a deserted platform for approximately 90 seconds around 11:18 pm, where he inflicted 19 wounds to her head, including a fatal brain stem injury. Rhiannon Whyte was discovered by a train driver and guard about five minutes later and died in hospital three days after the attack, with her family by her side.
In a chilling contrast, as Ms Whyte lay gravely injured, Majek was captured on camera laughing and dancing back at the hotel. He was also seen disposing of her mobile phone in a river.
Deception and Justice
The trial further revealed Majek's deception upon entering the UK in July 2024, where he claimed to be 18 years old. By the time of sentencing, the judge concluded his true age was likely around 28. Sentencing Majek, Mr Justice Soole said, 'The court is left with no explanation of what possessed you to murder a member of the hotel staff who, together with her colleagues, had been serving and helping you and your fellow residents. Having regard to every aspect of your conduct, before during and after the assault on Rhiannon, I am sure that your intent was to kill.'
Family's Lasting Pain and Political Discontent
While Siobhan Whyte said she was 'happy' with the life sentence, she admitted, 'it will never be enough.' She added starkly, 'I'm going to be honest, if the death penalty was in I would get him up [for it] straight away.'
The family's fury extends beyond the courtroom. Last week, Rhiannon's sister Emma told the Daily Mail, 'Keir Starmer would not listen, he does not give a s*** about us. He’s the worst thing that ever happened to us.’
Government Response
When pressed on the case, the Prime Minister's official spokesman offered condolences but declined to comment on specifics, stating, 'This is clearly an appalling case but as I say, I'm not going to comment on the details.' The spokesman pointed to broader government action on illegal migration, citing the return of 50,000 people and international deals struck to combat the issue, while acknowledging 'there is more to do'.
Siobhan Whyte remains resolute in her demand for political accountability, vowing, 'And I won't back down from it either because he's got the blood of Rhiannon, and these other women and men, children, on his hands. He needs to take accountability and he needs to take his head out his backside and stand up and realise what is going on in his country.' She expressed a desire to meet the Prime Minister face-to-face but noted she has received no official contact from the government.
