A CROYDON resident will serve a minimum of 18 years in prison after being found guilty of murdering a man in a Woking hotel last year.

Jermaine Lee, 32, of Gorse Road, killed 44-year-old security guard Khalilur Rahman at the Woking Hotel by repeatedly striking his victim in the face and body.

Officers were called to the Chertsey Road site on the morning of Wednesday 26 August 2015 after hotel staff discovered the body of Mr Rahman in one of the rooms.

During the trial at Guildford Crown Court, the jury heard that Lee launched an unprovoked attack on Mr Rahman, punching him a number of times before striking him with a piece of wood, following a brief verbal altercation in the hotel room.

Lee admitted manslaughter at the beginning of the trial but pleaded not guilty to murder.

Lisa Jane Warner, 35, of Mary Street in Milton Keynes, who was also in the room at the time of the attack, admitted a charge of assisting an offender and appeared at Guildford Crown Court today (Friday 19 February) where her sentence was deferred until July 7.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Superintendent Karen Mizzi, said: "This was a tragic incident where a man has lost his life and our thoughts are with Mr Rahman's family and friends at this very difficult time.

"He died as a result of a viciously brutal and sustained assault by Jermaine Lee, and the sentence given demonstrates the severity and impact of this horrendous crime.

"Lee refused to engage with police or admit his guilt throughout the investigation and this meant that Mr Rahman's family had to face the trauma and heartache of hearing the horrific details of his death during the evidence given during the trial.

"Throughout the investigation Mr Rahman's family has shown tremendous dignity and hopefully today's outcome will in some small way help them feel justice has been done.

"I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism and dedication of all the investigative team which led to Jermaine Lee being arrested within 24 hours of the incident, and reassure Surrey residents that when serious offences of this nature do take place we will do everything possible to bring the offenders to justice.”