Cocky murderer's texts exposed after thinking he was too clever to get caught
A killer who fled to South America to avoid justice will be sentenced to life today after finally being tracked down and put behind bars.
John Belfield was wanted for the murder of Thomas Campbell, alongside Reece Steven, and despite Steven facing trial and being convicted, Belfield hid out in Suriname watching the trial from afar.
At Bolton Crown Court back in 2023 - six months after Mr Campbell was found tortured to death in his own home in Mossley, Tameside - Steven was convicted of murder, while Stephen Cleworth and Campbell's ex-wife Coleen Campbell, were both convicted of manslaughter.
In that first trial prosecutors laid out damning evidence against Belfield. His older sister Holly Belfield gave evidence, claiming her brother was actually at her home watching Finding Nemo with their children at the time of the murder. Her account was rejected by the jury.
Following the trial in 2023, Steven was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 37 years. Stephen Cleworth was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 12 years. Coleen Campbell was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The trio were all also convicted of conspiring to rob Thomas Campbell.
Belfield was eventually arrested in Suriname where, according to Manchester Evening News, police found a treasure trove of evidence. He had been using a phone with the encrypted app Signal to communicate with the team he had recruited to help him rob and ultimately murder Thomas Campbell.
Belfield became seemingly resigned to the fact that he would at some stage have to answer to the courts. In one message he wrote: 'Yeah just looking what it gonna be like for me there is a way to put myself away from the scene but I'll have to say it was other people thats why it's good we are on trial different to each other and if I have an alibi.
"I can't get found guilty on what they have there's just not enuff [sic] and I could have just been naive.'
His primary strategy of returning after all his comrades had been acquitted lay in ruins. Belfield was left to face a second trial, this time in person, alone, with the full glare of the police and prosecution trained on him.
Phone evidence played a key part in the case against Belfield. He tried to explain it away, claiming that at incriminating moments, others were using the 'graft phone', which he said was a drugs line operated by others. But it didn't wash with the jury.
An awareness of police tactics was a theme that struck throughout the messages.
His claim that he only wanted to steal drugs from Thomas Campbell did not hold sway with the jury. After a month long trial, Belfield was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to rob.
He faces sentencing today and will be given a life sentence for murder. The judge will set a minimum time before he can apply for parole.
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