John Belfield denies murdering Thomas Campbell, and conspiring to rob him
John Belfield (left) is on trial accused of murdering Thomas Campbell(Image: GMP)
An alleged ‘mastermind’ accused of murder read numerous news stories, messaged co-defendants and joked about the court case after fleeing to South America, a jury has heard.
The body of Thomas Campbell, 38, was discovered by his neighbours in Mossley, Tameside, the morning after the fatal attack, 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.
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.
Mr Belfield, 31, is accused of being the ‘mastermind’ of a plot to rob Mr Campbell. Prosecutors allege Mr Belfield had ‘motivation’ for planning to rob Mr Campbell. Jurors were told Mr Belfield was allegedly seeking ‘items of value’ from Mr Campbell’s home.
They also previously heard that Mr Campbell was in a relationship with Mr Belfield’s ex-girlfriend and that Mr Belfield had displayed ‘hostility’ towards the pair.
Mr Campbell’s ex-wife Coleen Campbell was previously convicted in connection with her ex-husband’s death following a trial in 2023.
Thomas Campbell(Image: M.E.N.)
She gave details to Mr Belfield about her ex-husband’s movements, including by passing on information from her children. Stephen Cleworth, from Heywood, who had acted as a driver for Mr Belfield, was also convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.
He was responsible for plating the tracker on Mr Campbell’s vehicle, and he was involved in carrying out ‘reconnaissance’ at his home.
He was not present at the scene of the murder. Reece Steven, from Middleton, described by prosecutors as being Mr Belfield’s ‘right hand man’, was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob following the same trial in 2023.
As Mr Belfield’s trial continued, jurors heard that following the alleged attack, there were a number of calls between Cleworth and Mr Belfield, before Cleworth read a story on the M.E.N app titled: ‘Investigation launched after man found dead’.
The court heard that Colleen Campbell had also been to see a psychic in the days after Mr Cambell’s death.
Jurors heard that Mr Belfield left the UK with a passport bearing a different name on July 4 2022 and flew to Suriname, a small country in South America. Nine months later, in March 2023 was apprehended and flown back to Manchester Airport where he was arrested by Greater Manchester Police, the court heard.
A number of phones 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 Mr Belfield.
To one associate called ‘James’, he said: “Listen I’ll be good in the doc [sic] 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 [sic] 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 asked about the trial, the evidence and the lack of strength in the case, the court heard.
John Belfield
‘James’ then replied: “Lord forgive the prosecution as they know now what the [sic] 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.
Mr 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, Mr Belfield and Steven were messaging using the Signal app, the court heard. Steven was in custody at the time.
He sent Mr Belfield 34 pages of the sequence of events document that was to be produced in evidence before the jury, it was said.
In one exchange, Mr Belfield wrote: “Tom crumble.”
Steven replied: “Tomato crumble. Dripping his tomato juice everywhere.”
Mr Belfield replied: “Yeah must have bled everywhere” adding a laughing emoji.
Steven wrote: “I didn’t say blood mate, I said juice. Ure crazy bro.”
Mr Belfield said: “Like a little girl. He’s on his period…Tom juice.”
Steven replied: “A little bit of Tommy ketchup.”
In a later exchange, Mr Belfield wrote: “All the lights on but no one’s home. Actually the lights been smashed out of him.”
Steven replied: “He ran out of his sauce. Empty bottle. No lid on it. It’s better this way Tom.”
Mr Belfield responded: “Don’t think he believed the team.”
And Steven said: “He’s just crum now. In the graveyard now.”
Steven had also sent Mr Belfield a video with the caption: “Everyone is a gangster until a real gangster arrives.”
The court heard that Mr Belfield repeatedly sent links to others of the Manchester Evening News coverage of the trial.
Manchester Crown Court(Image: MEN Media)
Another associate had messaged Mr 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 continued: “Because course they’re gonna blame the guy who’s not there. Funny init the police know an the one it charge [sic] 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.”
Mr Belfield said that the police had evidence of him buying 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.
Mr Belfield, of no fixed address, denies murder and conspiracy to rob.
The trial continues.