Mossley murderer John Belfield sentenced to life after killing Thomas Campbell

A drug dealer who tortured and murdered a man in his home in Mossley has been sentenced.

John Belfield, 31, has been sentenced to life in prison after killing Thomas Campbell on July 2, 2022. 

Belfield was alleged to be the 'mastermind' behind a plot to rob, torture, and murder Mr Campbell after he got into a relationship with Belfield's ex-partner, Demi-Lee Driver. 

Manchester Crown Court heard this week that the killing followed a week of hostile surveillance, which involved planting a tracking device on Mr Campbell's car as he dropped his child off at school.

Belfield lay in wait with two other men as Mr Campbell arrived back at his home on Riverside, Mossley. Mr Campbell was heard to scream as they 'pounced' on him and bundled him inside his front door. 

Jurors were told Belfield was allegedly seeking 'items of value' from the home. Giving evidence, he said he had planned to steal drugs belonging to Mr Campbell, but denied wanting to rob him or use violence against him. 

Belfield also denied allegations that he had displayed jealousy or 'hostility' towards Mr Campbell and Ms Driver.

The 38-year-old was dragged inside his home before being tortured. For the following two hours, Manchester Crown Court heard he was stabbed, strangled, and had hot liquid poured on his genitals, with an autopsy revealing he had suffered 61 separate injuries.

Prosecutors said he was 'tortured to death'.

A murder investigation was launched after a neighbour discovered the body the next day, which revealed that Mr Campbell's ex-wife was also in on the plot. 

Thomas and Coleen Campbell, who had two children, divorced in 2019 after a ten-year relationship.

According to Greater Manchester Police, Ms Campbell was recruited by Belfield to share vital information needed to carry out the attack on her ex-husband, including the exact locations of his whereabouts through phone messages and calls to to another member of the group.

During her sentencing, she told the jury she believed the plan was only to rob Mr Campbell of his two Rolex watches. The whereabouts of the watches are currently unknown.

Coleen was found guilty of manslaughter with conspiracy to rob on 22nd February 2023, and was sentenced to 13 years.

Reece Steven and Stephen Cleworth were also convicted in connection with Mr Campbell's death. Steven, then-29, was ordered to serve a minimum of 37 years to life for murder and conspiracy to rob.

Cleworth, then-38, had been the one to plant the tracking device on Mr Campbell's car. He was not present at the scene of the murder due to allegedly being on a 'bender' at a swingers' club. He was ordered to serve a minimum of 12 years to life for manslaughter and conspiracy to rob. 

The third attacker remains unknown and is wanted by police. 

In August 2022, GMP launched a public appeal to hunt for Belfield, who by then had escaped the country. 

It wasn't until March 2023 that he was arrested in Suriname, South America, on suspicion of drug-related offences. He was recognised by Surinamese police upon his arrest, and information regarding his whereabouts was shared with law enforcement in the UK. 

During his time in Suriname, Belfield was said to have been in constant contact with his co-conspirators during their trial, even offering them advice via text messages about their trial strategy. 

A year later, Belfield was deported from South America and arrested at Manchester Airport. He was charged with murder, conspiracy to murder and manslaughter. 

On Thursday (3rd July), Belfield was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to rob at Manchester Crown Court. He reportedly showed no reaction as screams and whoops could be heard from the corridor outside. 

In today's sentencing, Mr Campbell's father Terry read a personal victim statement to the court.

“I’m not going to waste words defending my son’s lifestyle, others can make that judgement," he said. "I want to tell you about the true person Thomas was - a son, loving father and a good friend. He was always laughing and smiling. He was a polite young man and always popular.

“Its been so hard to endure the mockery of Thomas between those responsible for him no longer being here. None of the people concerned in this trial were friends of Thomas. I have heard time and time again the phrase “I know him really well”. I can say with confidence that that simply isn’t true.

"None of these people were friends of Thomas. It is our opportunity to describe how we feel and try to put across just what he meant to us and our family.

“I will always treasure the time I had with my son, when we went fishing or family holidays. They are memories I keep close to my heart and can’t be taken away by anybody.

"Nobody will ever know, unless they suffer circumstances like this themselves, how we truly feel, and there are no phrases to describe the impact the loss of Thomas has had and will always have."

Mr Justice Graham, presiding over the case, addressed Belfield as he was sentenced. 

"Thomas Campbell was no saint. Like you, he was involved in the sale and distribution of drugs," he said. "He was also a human being.

“The manner of his death was horrific. His family and friends have had to listen to the description of his injuries.

“His father has described his family’s prolific grief - it’s plain he was greatly loved.

“I find you, John Belfield, were the leading role in the conspiracy to rob and the attack itself. This gang of thugs, with which you were the leader, attacked Mr Campbell and stole from him the drugs you believed he had."

Belfield has now been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 34 years and 261 days. 

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."