John Belfield, 31, denies being one of three men who ambushed Thomas Campbell at his home and told a court that he was at home with his daughter and nieces watching Finding Nemo
A man claims he was watching Finding Nemo with his daughter and nieces at the time he is accused of a murder.
John Belfield, 31, denies being one of three men who ambushed Thomas Campbell at about 11pm at his home in Mossley, Tameside, in July 2, 2022. The 38-year-old was found dead in his hallway, naked apart from a pair of socks, the following morning by neighbours after being ‘tortured to death’, Manchester Crown Court has heard.
Belfield, who prosecutors claim was the ‘mastermind’ of a plot to rob Mr Campbell, denies murder and conspiracy to rob. He has said he had spoken with others about a plan to steal drugs from Mr Campbell, believing that he stored drugs in fields, but he had no intention of using violence.
Three people have previously been convicted in connection with Mr Campbell’s death, following a trial in 2023. Mr Campbell’s ex-wife Coleen Campbell was found guilty of manslaughter and conspiring to rob him, after she gave details about her ex-husband’s movements, including passing on information from her children, jurors have heard.
Stephen Cleworth, from Heywood, was also convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob. He placed a tracking device on Mr Campbell’s car, but was not present at the scene of the murder.
Reece Steven, from Middleton, was convicted of murder and conspiring to rob Mr Campbell. He was found to have been one of the three attackers present at the killing on July 2, 2022.
Prosecutors have alleged Belfield had ‘motivation’ to rob Mr Campbell, because he was in a relationship with Demi-Lee Driver, the defendant’s ex-partner. But Belfield has denied being jealous and said he ended their relationship.
Belfield gave evidence from the witness box for a third day, under questioning from his barrister Richard Wright KC. He said he spent the evening of July 2 at his sister’s home in Ashton-under-Lyne, after buying snacks from Asda for his daughter and nieces as they watched a film. He said Reece Steven, who had been present, left after 10pm.
“I just sat down with the girls and put a film on,” Belfield said. Asked what film they watched, he added: “I believe it was Finding Nemo. I can remember it quite well because it was the last time I was really around my daughter.
“They fell asleep into it quite early, I carried them up at about 12 o’clock.” Mr Belfield said he then watched TV before falling asleep on the couch.
Asked if he was one of the three men who went to Mossley to attack Mr Campbell, the defendant said: “I didn’t go to Thomas Campbell that night. I was at home with my daughter and my nieces. I wouldn’t do a crime like that, ever. I was at home at my sister’s.” Belfield said he was woken up at about 3.30am on July 3, to find Steven at the front door.
The defendant said: “He said he had been to Tom’s to try and get the stash, and it had got a bit out of hand. He just said they had got into a bit of an altercation with Tom. He didn’t really expand on it, but said an incident had happened. I just said I don’t understand why he had come to my sister’s at that point.”
Belfield said Steven was asking if he could use a vehicle. He agreed to let him use his sister’s VW Golf. “I should have just told him to leave,” Belfield said. “At that point I didn’t know how bad the situation was at that point. I should have just turned him away.”
Belfield said he only learned that Mr Campbell had died on July 4 after being informed by Cleworth. Asked for his reaction after learning of his death, Belfield said: “I was more scared now what was going to happen to me, because of who Tom is and things like that.” Mr Wright asked: “What did you have to worry about?”
The defendant replied: “Because I now knew that my friends and associates have done this crime.” Belfield said he then decided to leave Manchester. “I was absolutely terrified of what’s going on,” he said. Belfield said he travelled to Holyhead, before taking a ferry to Dublin. He said he then went to Amsterdam, then on to Spain before flying to Brazil.
The defendant said he then travelled to Suriname. “I heard that Thomas Campbell’s associates were trying to locate me in Spain because people knew I was in Spain,” Belfield said.
“My cousin was in Suriname at the time. I think he was wanted by the police so he was staying there. I was just more devastated that I was away from my child. It’s not a very nice country to be honest. I was just there to keep myself safe.”
Belfield said he was arrested and later deported from the country to the Netherlands, and was then deported back to the UK. He says he was kept in custody in Suriname. “It was pretty horrendous to be honest,” he said.
Asked why he left the country, Belfield said: “Because I didn’t want to put my family in danger by being in England.” He said he feared that someone would ‘attack and maybe kill me’.
“Things happen where people retaliate and try and get people back, people can die,” the defendant said. He denied that he had left because he had been involved in murdering Mr Campbell.
The trial continues.