This is the moment a vicious gang ambush a cocaine kingpin on his doorstep before torturing and murdering him.
Chilling CCTV footage shows the group swarming Thomas Campbell’s quiet cul-de-sac hideaway after his vengeful ex-wife gave them the address.
The 38-year-old could be heard to ‘scream’ as he was attacked by three men, before being carried into his home and tortured in Mossley, Tameside, on July 2, 2022, Manchester Crown Court heard.
John Belfield, 31, was yesterday found to have ‘masterminded’ the savage killing of Campbell, whose bloodied and near-naked body was found in his hallway bound in extra-strength duct tape, after he began a relationship with Belfield’s ex-girlfriend.
Today, Belfield was jailed for life after being convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob after evading justice for three years, fleeing to South America days after the inhumane slaying before being caught by drugs cops in Suriname.
The twisted plotter is now joining his convicted co-conspirators in prison, and will serve a minimum of 37 years before he is eligible for parole – reduced to 34 years and 261 days for time spent on remand.
There were cries of ‘rot in hell’, ‘rat’ and ‘you f****** freak’ from the public gallery as the sentence was handed down and Belfield was led away to start his sentence.
Mr Justice Garnham told the killer that while Campbell was ‘no saint… involved in the sale and distribution of drugs’, he was also ‘a human being’.
The judge added: ‘The manner of his death was horrific. His family and friends have had to listen to the description of the injuries you inflicted on him and the suffering he was forced to endure. That can only have been a dreadful experience for them.
‘You played what I conclude was a leading role in the conspiracy to rob and in the attack that led ultimately to Mr Campbell’s death.’
This is the moment a vicious gang ambush a cocaine kingpin on his doorstep before torturing and murdering him
Chilling CCTV footage shows the group swarming Thomas Campbell’s quiet cul-de-sac hideaway after his vengeful ex-wife gave them the address
John Belfield, 31, was the ringleader of a plot to murder his love rival, Thomas Campbell
Mr Campbell was described by police as a drug dealer Mr Campbell’s bloodied and near-naked body was found in his hallway bound in extra-strength duct tape
Coleen Campbell (pictured) shared crucial details about her former husband’s movements with Belfield before his killing
It remains a mystery who dealt precisely which blows to Campbell as his face was slashed with parallel lines, and who stripped him or poured boiling water over his genitals in an inhumane torture session lasting almost two hours.
Mr Campbell’s mutilated body was discovered by shocked neighbours the morning after his death when they noticed his front door had been left open and saw blood in the hallway.
Duct tape had been wound ‘multiple times’ around his wrists from a roll bought from a B&Q store in nearby Oldham.
He had suffered 61 separate injuries, while a tourniquet had been tied around his arm to reduce bleeding from a slashing injury – not to keep him alive, but to prolong his descent into death.
Prosecutors said Belfield wanted to steal ‘items of value’ from Mr Campbell’s home and was also motivated by personal ‘hostility’ towards him.
A 2023 trial heard how his estranged wife Coleen Campbell had guided Belfield to the father of her two children by sharing details about his whereabouts.
Given his status as a major drug dealer, Mr Campbell had many enemies, meaning suspicion did not at first focus on Coleen, who had by then broken up with him after accusations of cheating.
Belfield led the gang of three men who were caught on CCTV bursting into Mr Campbell’s home to rob and torture him.
They tied him up, before mutilating his face and pouring boiling liquid over his genitals.
The judge added: ‘You, I have no doubt, were the leader of that gang. You took pleasure in the infliction of pain on him.
‘You wanted Thomas Campbell to suffer. That is why you and your gang attacked him as he opened his front door and bundled him into the house; you wanted to ensure he was utterly at your mercy.’
Belfield was also ordered to serve 16 years for conspiracy to rob, which will run concurrently with the life sentence.
His sentencing came a day after angry and chaotic scenes unfolded in court as he was convicted, as Campbell’s mother turned to detectives and screamed out: ‘You know who the murderer is.’
Reece Steven (left), 29, was convicted of murder and was jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years whilst Stephen Cleworth (right), 38, was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 12 years
Mr Campbell was ambushed by three men as he opened his front door in Mossley, Greater Manchester
As relatives began to erupt, the judge, Mr Justice Garnham instructed court staff to escort her from the building.
And he told the victim’s supporters: ‘Be quiet or you will all be held in contempt of court.’
The trial had heard Belfield became ‘obsessed and furious’ after Campbell began a relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Demi-Lee Driver, who the killer called a ‘money grabbing little dog’ in a series of threatening messages.
The ‘sophisticated and organised conspiracy’ saw Belfield and his conspirators carry out a week of surveillance before they chose to strike on July 2 2022.
Mr Campbell’s estranged wife Coleen – furious at him for cheating before their split – had shared his whereabouts despite being warned that he would be robbed and ‘violence would be necessary’.
Coleen previously stood trial in Belfield’s absence, with jurors hearing how she played the ‘perfect’ grieving widow in a series of gushing Facebook messages.
But she eventually exposed her involvement by describing the exact nature of Campbell’s injuries to his mother – details she claimed he had relayed from the grave after being summoned by a clairvoyant.
She was found guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob alongside Stephen Cleworth, 38.
Belfield’s right-hand man, Reece Steven, was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob.
A previous hearing heard how Belfield and Steven shared a series of crowing messages about Mr Campbell’s injuries following the murder.
Steven wrote: ‘Tommy crumble. Dripping in tom juice everywhere’, to which Belfield replied: ‘Must have bled everywhere.’
In subsequent texts, Steven referred to ‘a little bit of Tommy ketchup’ while Belfield wrote: ‘All the lights on but no one at home. Actually, the lights have been smashed out of him.’
Manchester Crown Court also heard messages Belfield sent to his ex, Ms Driver, after she began a relationship with Mr Campbell.
In one he wrote: ‘You and that helmet will get domed. Shut your mouth you dog.’
In a separate exchange, Belfield wrote to Mr Campbell about Ms Driver, saying: ‘I’m going to shag her for the point of it as well as saying you like her you soft boy.’
After leaving the 38-year-old father of two to die in unimaginable agony, Belfield fled to the former Dutch colony of Suriname in South America before he was caught by local police dealing drugs and hauled back to the UK.
Coleen previously stood trial in Belfield’s absence, with jurors hearing how she played the ‘perfect’ grieving widow in a series of gushing Facebook messages. She was found guilty of manslaughter
Given his status as a major drug dealer, Mr Campbell had many enemies, meaning suspicion did not at first focus on Coleen, who had by then broken up with him after accusations of cheating.
Belfield attacked Mr Campbell (pictured) with Steven and a third man, who has not been identified
Indeed, Facebook posts at the time show she put on a show of grieving by posting a series of ‘tributes’ featuring broken heart emojis and warm words for the father of her two children.
One read: ’13 years and 2 beautiful children. Forever grateful. I would do anything to hear your giddy laugh or your none [sic] stop moaning just one more time.’
Coleen also helped to photograph and arrange the ceremonial releasing of balloons in his memory.
But she went on to give away her role in Mr Campbell’s killing in a bizarre way – by visiting a psychic.
At this meeting – four days after his death – Coleen claimed his spirit had been summoned and shared intimate details about his murder and the injuries he had sustained.
Coleen relayed them all to the victim’s suspicious mother, who alerted police.
At the time of the séance, little information had previously been made public by police about the fatal assault – but Coleen fell under suspicion as only the killers could have known the details about Mr Campbell’s fatal wounds.
Inquiries revealed she had been tipping off the killers about her ex-husband’s movements in the run up to the attack, with a phone conversation she had with one of them caught on her home CCTV.
Mr Campbell during his marriage to Coleen – proof how dramatically he changed his appearance
A picture of Belfield released by police when he was on the run. It was taken in December 2022 when he was likely already in Suriname
The killer attacked Mr Campbell with two other men
During his own trial, Belfield admitted to earning around £2,000-a-week dealing cannabis and cocaine, but denied murdering Mr Campbell.
Questioned by his barrister Richard Wright KC, Belfield said he had known him for about ten years, saying he was ‘higher up than me’ in the drugs trade.
‘I have never had any trouble with Tom Campbell in my life,’ he insisted.
Belfield insisted that his contact with Ms Campbell over Instagram in the run-up to the murder had nothing to do with a plan to rob her ex-husband or being ‘jealous’ about his relationship with Ms Driver.
However, jurors heard how he ‘very carefully planned’ Mr Campbell’s killing by placing a tracker device on his car and carrying out reconnaissance on his home.
Belfield attacked Mr Campbell with Steven and a third man, who has not been identified.
Co-conspirator Stephen Cleworth was not present during the murder – as he was on a night out at a swinger’s club, but planted the tracker and acted as a driver.
Horrific details about the victim’s injuries were shared with jurors by forensic pathologist Dr Philip Lumb.
Officers attended the property and discovered Mr Campbell’s body inside. Pictured, police at the scene
The Facebook messages Coleen Campbell posted after her ex’s murder in an effort to appear innocent
Coleen also helped arrange a balloon release in memory of her drug dealer ex – who posed as a personal trainer
He said he had suffered injuries consistent with ‘restraint’, ‘asphyxia’ and a ‘sustained blunt sharp force physical assault’.
Dr Lumb also noted evidence of burning to Mr Campbell’s thigh and buttocks, which he said had been caused by a ‘hot liquid such as hot water’.
The victim had also suffered a gaping stab wound to his right upper arm, which would have bled extensively.
Belfield was described as being of no fixed address.
Wendy Logan, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: ‘John Belfield was responsible for leading a meticulously planned attack to kill Thomas Campbell.
‘Evidence presented by the prosecution made it clear that Belfield had orchestrated this attack and left no stone unturned to ensure it would be successful including organising surveillance of Campbell’s every move and even conducting dress rehearsals for their plans.
‘Belfield then took extreme steps to evade justice by removing his fingerprints and DNA from the scene of the crime and fleeing on a plane to Suriname in South America – a country where he had no previous connections.
‘Despite the 4,500-mile distance, Belfield remained in constant contact with his co-conspirators during their trial, even offering them advise over text message about their trial strategy.
‘My thoughts are with the loved ones of Thomas Campbell and I hope that today’s verdict will help them feel some sense of justice knowing Belfield will join his co-conspirators behind bars.’
