John Belfield was accused of finding ‘mocking’ messages about Thomas Campbell’s death ‘hilarious’ as he gave evidence in his murder trial at Manchester Crown Court
An alleged murderer told a man he was going to “sh*g” his ex-wife in threatening messages before ‘torturing’ him to death, a court heard.
The jury in the trial of John Belfield heard today how he was accused of finding ‘mocking’ messages about Thomas Campbell’s death ‘hilarious’. Belfield, 31, denies being one of three people who ‘pounced’ on Mr Campbell outside his home in Mossley, Tameside, before the 38-year-old was attacked and ‘tortured to death’. Belfield has pleaded not guilty to murder and conspiracy to rob Mr Campbell. He spent a fourth day in the witness box today at Manchester Crown Court, giving evidence in his trial.
During today’s hearing, he was questioned by the prosecution about messages exchanged following Mr Campbell’s death on July 2, 2022. One message heard by the court was sent to Reece Steven, Belfield’s co-accused who was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob at a previous trial.
In it, the defendant said of Mr Campbell: “All the lights were on but no one’s home. Actually the lights been smashed out of him.” Belfield said he agreed the message was ‘joking about the period of torture’, and the injuries inflicted which caused his death.
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I don’t at any point say ‘I’ve done anything’,” he told the jury. “It’s bravado between people. You never believe these messages are going to get read. I said stupid things to my friend.”
Jurors heard that Steven ‘jokingly’ called Belfield ‘master’ in their messages, reports Manchester Evening News. Prosecutor Nicholas de la Poer claimed: “He is recognising in a jokey way that you are telling people what to do.”
“I don’t know in what context Reece Steven is saying it, but I believe it is to do with the mastermind,” Belfield said. The prosecutor asked: “You are the person in charge of this team aren’t you?”
Belfield replied: “No, how could I be in charge of people like Reece Steven and Stephen Cleworth [another co-defendant, convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob], it’s impossible.”
Jurors also heard about messages which were said to be ‘mocking’ Mr Campbell’s death, which Belfield described as ‘disgusting’. When the prosecution asked: “Are you sure you don’t find these messages funny?” Belfield replied: “I didn’t find them funny at all, no.”
Jurors also heard Steven told Belfield in a message: “Go hard or go home. Get life or no life. God’s with me. Obviously wasn’t with Tom.” Belfield replied: “It was his time to go mate.”
Asked about his reply, the defendant said: “Because in the life Tom chose, and I have chose, things like this happen. I didn’t do this to Tom but it is the life he chose.” In a message, Steven said: “Tomato crumble. Dripping his tomato juice everywhere.” Belfield replied: “Must have bled everywhere.”
The message was followed by a ‘laughing crying face emoji’. Asked why he said that, Belfield said: “Just to try and act tough.” In a further message, Belfield said: “No like a little girl. He is on his period.”
Mr de la Poer asked: “You thought that was hilarious didn’t you?” Belfield replied: “Not hilarious, no. It is just a stupid thing to say. I accept I shouldn’t have said that. It was a disgusting thing to say.”
Jurors heard Belfield sent Thomas Campbell a message which read: “I’m going to sh*g her for the point of it as well as saying you like her you soft boy.” He accepts ‘her’ was Coleen Campbell. Belfield says he deleted the message shortly after so that Thomas Campbell couldn’t see it.
“I was a bit upset and thought it was a bad idea and I deleted it, as you can see,” he says. Belfield denied that he was ‘obsessed’ with his ex-partner Demi-Lee Driver, who Mr Campbell was in a relationship with.
“Definitely not,” he said. “I was in multiple relationships at that time. I definitely wasn’t obsessed by Demi-Lee Driver.” Asked about a message he sent to Demi-Lee Driver, in which he said ‘you’re mine’, Belfield said it was sent in a ‘sarcastic way’.
Asked about another message in which he told her ‘you belong to me now Demi-Lee’, Belfield says he was ‘taking the p*** a bit really’. Mr de la Poer referred to a message he sent her which read: “You will never have a boyfriend you will have to move country give it a week and you will see why and happens when you take the p***.”
Belfield denied that was a threat. He says he told her the relationship was over and that she had previously expressed a desire to move abroad. Jurors heard she replied by saying: “Do anything to me and you will be sorry.” The defendant said: “I’m not going to do anything to her. She knows I wouldn’t do anything to her.”
Me de la Poer said that a few days later after the messages, Thomas Campbell died ‘in the most terrible way’. “Thomas Campbell was dead because you had murdered him,” he said.
“Definitely not,” he said. “I didn’t murder Thomas Campbell that day, I was at home with my daughter and my sister.”
The trial continues.