"I Feel Lucky to Have Left": Ex-Guest Services Manager Reflects on Decision After Asylum Seeker Murder Trial

By Tracyann Dunkley | Crime Watch

The murder trial of Deng Chol Majek, a Sudanese asylum seeker, has sent shockwaves through Walsall and beyond. Majek is accused of stabbing hotel worker Rhiannon Skye Whyte 23 times with a screwdriver shortly after she finished her late shift at the Park Inn Hotel, which was being used to house male asylum seekers. CCTV footage reportedly shows Majek following Ms Whyte from the hotel before launching what prosecutors described as a “vicious and frenzied attack”.

All Angle UK spoke with a former Guest Services Manager who had briefly worked at The Park Inn asylum seeker hotel in Walsall. She left the role after just three shifts, citing an overwhelming sense of discomfort and inappropriate behaviour from male residents. 

Advertisement

“The moment you walk into the restaurant or reception area, you feel dirty — just from the way they stare at you,” she said. “They’d stick their tongues out and say ‘kiss kiss’, or look you up and down like you were a well-cooked steak. It was constant, and it was intimidating.”

Park Inn Restaurant and Reception area where Asylum Seekers would have their meals and hang out.

Reflecting on the recent tragedy, she expressed deep gratitude for her decision to walk away. “Leaving a job is never easy, but hearing what happened to that poor woman makes me feel blessed. I don’t regret it for a second.” Her account adds weight to growing concerns over the safety of hotel staff working in facilities repurposed to house asylum seekers — particularly those working late shifts and commuting alone.

Advertisement 

The case has reignited debate over the vetting and mental health assessments of asylum seekers placed into community settings. While many are fleeing unimaginable hardship, the lack of consistent psychological screening raises questions about the risks posed to frontline workers. As the trial continues, calls for stronger safeguarding measures are growing louder — not only to protect vulnerable asylum seekers, but also the staff who serve them.

📣 Share this story from ALL ANGLES UK: