A man from Ealing who attempted to strangle and rob an undercover police officer wearing a high-end watch has been jailed for life.
Abdi-Rahman Khaliif-Ali, 26, was sentenced on Wednesday (25 June 2025) at Southwark Crown Court to life imprisonment with a minimum term of four years and nine months. He had earlier admitted to assault with intent to rob and intentional strangulation during a plea hearing in January 2025.
The dramatic encounter unfolded during a covert police operation targeting the surge of high-value watch thefts in London. The victim, an undercover officer, had been deployed as part of a sting to identify robbers preying on individuals wearing luxury timepieces.
Khaliif-Ali followed the officer through central London, offering to guide him to the nearest train station. He led the officer to Covent Garden station, falsely claiming it was Tottenham Court Road, and repeatedly insisted they were “not far” from their destination.
As the officer asked for directions to Wardour Street, he noticed Khaliif-Ali had become fixated on his watch. Moments later, near a flight of stairs, Khaliif-Ali launched a violent assault, grabbing the officer by the neck from behind and attempting to strangle him while trying to rip the watch from his wrist.
Fortunately, a second officer arrived on the scene and arrested Khaliif-Ali before the situation escalated further. The attacked officer sustained a swollen lip, facial cuts and swelling.
Claire Campbell of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “This was a sustained and serious attack from a violent individual determined to steal the victim’s watch by any means necessary.
“This would have been a terrifying experience for the victim, despite being a trained undercover police officer who was protecting the streets of our capital.
“It is deeply concerning to think about what the consequences might have been if this happened to a member of the public. Khaliif-Ali will now be behind bars for a significant period of time.”
