A weightlifter was beaten to death by a Croydon man and Ealing woman who then ransacked his room looking for cash and valuables, a court has heard.

Christopher McDonald, 34, of Goodwin Road, and Aliysa Ellis, 29, are accused of attacking Paul Tong at his home in Willcott Road, Ealing, London, on April 19 2017.

Mr Tong, 54, was found dead the following day with injuries to his torso and head.

A jury at Blackfriars Crown Court heard that Mr Tong was a drug dealer and drug user who was rumoured to have a "substantial amount of money".

But prosecutor Jacob Hallam QC said police did not find valuables, money or drugs in the room after Mr Tong's death.

He added: "Paul Tong was known to many people by the nickname 'Yankee'.

"He was in some senses a fit man because he used to work out using weights in his room. He was a short, muscular man.

"He was also a drug user. And as well as being a drug user, he was a drug dealer and it appears a fairly successful drug dealer.

"He would often leave drugs and money on display.

"It was rumoured that he had a substantial amount of money and was not shy about showing his valuables, watches, piles of money. Ostentatious to a degree, perhaps.

"The state of the room when his body was found suggests that he was killed by people who were seeking to find and take his money, his valuables and his drugs."

The jury was also told a dark green Rolex box was found in the room.

The court heard Ellis was an associate of Mr Tong's while McDonald was an associate of hers.

Mr Hallam said the pair had conspired to rob Mr Tong of the "fruits of his drug dealing".

He added: "Together they conspired to rob Paul Tong of the fruits of his drug dealing.

"Together, having gained access to Mr Tong's room on the night of April 19, the defendants put the conspiracy into effect and in the course of doing so, subjected him to a blunt force assault, rupturing his liver and fracturing his ribs."

McDonald and Ellis, of Loveday Road in Ealing, both deny murder and conspiracy to rob.

The trial continues.