Thomas Campbell’s bloodied body was found, dressed in only a pair of socks, police investigated and now John Belfield stands trial accused of murder and conspiracy to rob
An alleged “mastermind” accused of murder read numerous news stories, messaged co-defendants and joked about the death after fleeing to South America, a jury has heard.
The body of Thomas Campbell, 38, was discovered by his neighbours in Tameside, Greater Manchester the morning after his death, jurors have heard. Three men “pounced” on Mr Campbell as he arrived home late on a Saturday night, Manchester Crown Court has been told.
It is alleged that one of the attackers was 31-year-old John Belfield. He denies being present and has pleaded not guilty to murder. Another of the men, Reece Steven, was found guilty of murder at a previous trial. The identity of the third man remains unknown.
The attack – during which it is alleged Mr Campbell was “tortured to death” – was the product of “very careful planning by a team of highly organised criminals,” the prosecution alleges, reports the Manchester Evening News.
A tracking device had been put on Mr Campbell’s car and “reconnaissance” had been carried out in the days prior to the attack, on July 2, 2022. Belfield, 31, is accused of being the “mastermind” of a plot to rob Mr Campbell. Prosecutors allege Belfield had “motivation” for planning to rob Mr Campbell.
Jurors were told Belfield was allegedly seeking ‘items of value’ from Mr Campbell’s home. They also previously heard that Mr Campbell was in a relationship with Belfield’s ex-girlfriend and that Belfield had displayed ‘hostility’ towards the pair.
Mr Campbell’s former wife, Coleen Campbell, was previously found guilty in relation to her ex-husband’s death after a trial in 2023. She provided Belfield with information about her ex-husband’s whereabouts, including details from her children. Stephen Cleworth, from Heywood, Greater Manchester, who served as a driver for Belfield, was also convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.
He was tasked with placing the tracker on Mr Campbell’s vehicle and participated in ‘reconnaissance’ at his home. However, he was not present at the murder scene. Reece Steven, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, described by prosecutors as Belfield’s ‘right hand man’, was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to rob following the same trial in 2023.
As Belfield’s trial progressed, the jury heard that after the alleged attack, there were several calls between Cleworth and Belfield, before Cleworth read a news story titled: “Investigation launched after man found dead”. The court was told that Colleen Campbell had also visited a psychic in the days following Mr Cambell’s death.
The jury was informed that Belfield left the UK using a passport under a different name on 4 July 2022 and flew to Suriname, a small country in South America. Nine months later, in March 2023, he was apprehended and flown back to Manchester Airport where he was arrested by Greater Manchester Police, the court heard.
A number of mobiles were seized and analysed, revealing that he had messaged numerous associates using the ‘Signal’ messaging app about the court case, it was said. The jury were shown a large number of messages from phones attributed to Belfield.
To one associate named ‘James’, he said: “Listen I’ll be good in the doc but I’ll just wait because when people start getting a no guilty they can’t use the evidence on me then because it’s no guilty evidence. I would love to come back and get the team a not guilty but you’re gunna have to do it yourself, just say you will have to ask John.”
He added a number of laughing emojis to the message. He then enquired about the trial, the evidence and the lack of strength in the case, the court heard.
‘James’ then responded: “Lord forgive the prosecution as they know now what the do. It’s the least we can do. Our father. Angels. The Lords Justice men. Serving up deaths in the name of the Lord. Blessings be with you. Tom was sentenced to death in the name of Jesus. Amen.”
He added a number of laughing emojis. Belfield later sent a message to another associate: “If the evidence is not strong enough against them they cannot use it against me. The trouble is getting a not guilty. Got a chance of getting away with it.”
Days before the trial involving Colleen Campbell, Reece Steven and Stephen Cleworth, Belfield and Steven were messaging using the Signal app, the court heard. Steven was in custody at the time.
He dispatched 34 pages of the sequence of events document, intended to be presented as evidence before the jury, to Belfield, it was claimed.
In one exchange, Belfield penned: “Tom crumble.”
Steven retorted: “Tomato crumble. Dripping his tomato juice everywhere.”
Belfield responded: “Yeah must have bled everywhere” followed by a laughing emoji.
Steven wrote back: “I didn’t say blood mate, I said juice. Ure crazy bro.”
Belfield quipped: “Like a little girl. He’s on his period…Tom juice.”
Steven replied: “A little bit of Tommy ketchup.”
In a subsequent exchange, Belfield wrote: “All the lights on but no one’s home. Actually the lights been smashed out of him.”
Steven responded: “He ran out of his sauce. Empty bottle. No lid on it. It’s better this way Tom.”
Belfield retorted: “Don’t think he believed the team.”
And Steven said: “He’s just crum now. In the graveyard now.”
Steven had also forwarded a video to Belfield with the caption: “Everyone is a gangster until a real gangster arrives.”
The court was told that Belfield repeatedly shared links to the Manchester Evening News coverage of the trial with others.
Another associate messaged Belfield about Cleworth giving evidence. The defendant replied: “Yeah its cool mate I have told them to say all this…Because its a free run…. Everyone can say all this because when it comes to my trial they can’t use anything on me.”
He went on to say: “Because course they’re gonna blame the guy who’s not there. Funny init the police know an the one it charge but they know there is next to f**k all on me I don’t even put the tracker on.
“They have no evidence to back up, just some storybook. What they think happened, All I have done wrong is give reg of a car. It’s funny because they can’t even prove if it did it.”
Belfield stated that the police had evidence of him purchasing a blowtorch with cash. About this he said: “But we didn’t use a blowtorch we used hot liquid of a flash to burn him. They don’t have a clue bro. The police are idiots but they just make it up as they go because they have f**k all.
“They just make anything fit don’t they just need these a not guilty and I’ll be back with the best KC going am already on them. Don’t watch me lad. Mastermind out here” adding two laughing emojis.
Belfield, of no fixed address, denies murder and conspiracy to rob.