An asylum seeker accused of stabbing a hotel worker 23 times with a screwdriver and leaving her to die was seen dancing and laughing in the aftermath of the attack, a murder trial jury has heard.

Deng Chol Majek, who claims to be 19, was “clearly excited about what he had done” after inflicting fatal wounds on Rhiannon Skye Whyte, who worked in the hotel where he was living, Wolverhampton crown court heard.

The Sudanese national followed Whyte, who had only worked at the Park Inn hotel for three months, to the Bescot Stadium railway station in Walsall on 20 October last year, the jury was told.

CCTV shows Deng Chol Majek sitting in the hotel where Rhiannon Skye Whyte is working

Whyte, whose shift had finished at 11pm, was heard screaming during a phone call to a friend and was found by a train guard on the platform minutes later, the prosecutor, Michelle Heeley KC, told the court.

Opening the case against Majek, Heeley told the court he followed the 27-year-old from the hotel where he was living. She said: “He followed her down on to the train platform at the Bescot Stadium station and then he attacked her. Stabbing her over and over again with a screwdriver.

“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 court heard how police were able to identify Majek because of the clothing he wore during the attack, and that he was found to have Whyte’s DNA under his fingernails, which the prosecution said was caused by the victim attempting to defend herself.

“The police were able to review the CCTV very quickly and they could see the defendant in his distinctive clothing,” Heeley said. “When they went to the hotel they found him and his clothes. They seized a number of items, including the jacket the attacker from the CCTV could be seen wearing.

CCTV shows Whyte walking through a carpark and Majek walking in the same direction shortly after

“They recovered some jewellery and a pair of sandals. The jacket, a ring and the sandals had Rhiannon Whyte’s blood on them.

“There was a lot of blood because of the vicious nature of this attack. Rhiannon had been stabbed, in total, 23 times. Most of the stab injuries were to her head, but some were to the left side of her chest and left arm, indicating she had tried to fend off her attacker.

“Eleven of the stab wounds had penetrated her skull; one in particular had damaged the brain stem, which is what ultimately caused the death. The defendant’s fingernails were checked, he had DNA under them – the DNA belonged to Rhiannon Whyte.”

It was not initially clear what motivated the attack, though earlier in the evening he had allegedly been seen staring at the victim and a co-worker. Heeley said: “No one could recall any particular issue that would have caused him to act in that way.

“What is clear from the CCTV is that the defendant was hanging around the reception area, staring at Rhiannon throughout the evening.”

Majek denies charges of murder and possessing an offensive weapon. The trial continues.