A violent criminal and a criminologist have been jailed for killing a drug dealer who was beaten to death by his Rolex watch.
Paul Tong, a 54-year-old fitness fanatic, is believed to have been attacked with a barbell exercise weight in Ealing, West London, in April 2017.
His body, found the day after the attack, was partially covered in bedding and the jury at the Old Bailey was told he had been left at a “twisted and unnatural angle”, with his room bare except for an empty box of Rolex.
Christopher McDonald, who has a first-class degree in psychology, was convicted of murdering Tong and conspiring to steal after a new trial and was imprisoned for life with a minimum term of 32 years.
Aliysa Ellis, who has a master’s degree in criminology, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and conspiracy to rob, but has been cleared of murder.
The court was told how Tong, the father of one, known as a Yankee, would leave money and drugs in his room and there were rumors that he was fine.
He was described as seen with a “flash watch” and a former colleague told police that he had watches that included a Rolex, designer clothing, and jewelry in the house he shared with his older aunt.
An empty Rolex box with Ellis’s fingerprint was found, they told the court.
Prosecutor Jake Hallam QC said during the trial: “The state of the room suggests that Mr. Tong was killed by people seeking to find and take his money, drugs, and valuables.
“He was known for having several expensive looking watches, for example.
“When the police searched the room after his death, no money, no valuables, no drugs were found.”
A postmortem concluded that Tong, described as “muscularly built,” had suffered cuts and bruises to his head and body, his ribs had ruptured, and his liver had ruptured from “forceful blows.”
An exercise bar found on the property could have been used in the attack, they told the court.
Both McDonald and Ellis had denied being involved.
McDonald, 35, of Croydon, who was on a lifelong license after being previously incarcerated for a minimum of six years, said he had never been to Tong’s home.
McDonald had admitted an attack on a man involving a bar, Taser, and a knife in November 2007 and was sentenced the following year.
He also conspired to steal £ 15,000 from a safe at a Matalan store in Luton in 2007 and was released under license in 2014.
Ellis, 31, of Ealing, said she visited Tong to buy drugs and said McDonald would also be going for the same reason.
Detective Sergeant Lee Tullett of Scotland Yard said: “Ellis knew that Paul Tong was trafficking drugs and keeping cash and other valuables in his room, and she conspired with McDonald to rob him.
“Paul was subjected to a violent attack and the couple cruelly wounded him in his room before his body was found the next day.
“I hope that today’s result can begin to close something out to Paul’s family so they can move on.”
