‘Mastermind' behind murder of man who was found naked bound with duct tape sent joke texts about attack, court hears

Scottish Sun

7 hours ago

The victim's glam ex was previously convicted for manslaughter after his death
HORROR DEATH 'Mastermind' behind murder of man who was found naked bound with duct tape sent joke texts about attack, court hears
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THE alleged mastermind behind the murder of a man who was found naked and bound with duct tape texted jokes about the attack, a court heard.
Thomas Campbell was ambushed on his doorstep in an attack allegedly orchestrated by his partner's ex-boyfriend.
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John Belfield, who denies murder and conspiracy to rob
Credit: MEN Media
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Coleen Campbell was previously convicted for manslaughter after Thomas' death
Credit: Steve Allen
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Thomas Campbell, 38, was found dead at his home on Riverside, Mossley, Greater Manchester
Credit: MEN Media
His body was discovered by his neighbours the morning after three men "pounced" on him as he arrived home late on a Saturday night, a court heard.
Manchester Crown Court was told the 38-year-old was killed on July 3, 2022 after "very careful planning by a team of highly organised criminals".
The alleged "mastermind" of the plot is John Belfield, 31, who is on trial and denies murder.
Thomas was dating Belfield's ex-girlfriend and he was "hostile" about the relationship, the court heard.
The victim's glam ex Coleen was previously convicted for manslaughter after his death, and she was jailed for 13 years in 2023.
The mum-of-four passed on information about her ex husband's movements - including details she learned from her children.
Manchester Crown Court heard today how Belfield sent texts after the alleged attack which read the victim "must have bled everywhere".
The 31-year-old travelled to South America after the victim was found.
He was extradited from the former Dutch colony of Suriname, to stand trial over the "harrowing and violent assault", a court heard.
Jurors were told today of messages sent to Belfield by his alleged "right-hand man" Reece Steven.
Steven, 29, was previously found guilty of Thomas's murder with conspiracy to rob and he was sentenced to life in prison.
Belfield's driver Stephen Cleworth, 38, was also convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob and was jailed for 12 years.
The identity of the third attacker remains a mystery.
In a conversation about Thomas' horror injuries, Steven wrote: "Tommy crumble. Dripping in tom juice everywhere."
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Thomas was found by a neighbour at his home on July 3 2022
Credit: MEN Media
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Campbell was she was jailed for 13 years in 2023
Credit: GMP
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Thomas was dating Belfield's ex-girlfriend and he was "hostile" about the relationship, the court heard
Credit: MEN Media
Belfield replied: "Must have bled everywhere."
Steven answered: "I didn't say blood mate. I said juice, U're crazy, bro."
Belfield: "Tom juice."
Steven: "A little bit of Tommy ketchup."
Belfield: "All the lights on but no one at home. Actually, the lights have been smashed out of him."
Steven: "He ran out of sauce. Empty bottle. No lid on."
Belfield: "He didn't believe the team."
Steven: "He's just crum now. In the graveyard."
In another message Belfield wrote how the police "know I'm the one in charge" but had "next to f***-all on me".
He added: "Got a chance of getting away with it."
In further texts while Belfield was in Suriname, jurors heard how the 31-year-old wrote to another recipient: "Just looking like what it is going to be to like for me.
"If I have an alibi, I cannot get found guilty.
"There is no evidence. I could have just been naive."
He told the unknown person to "check if they have got warrants for the phones because if they haven't, then they cannot be used".
Belfield also sent a message to another recipient which read: "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."
The defendant then sent one person called Pacheco a text which read: "We did not use a blowtorch. We used hot liquid in a flask to burn him."
He added: "Funny, innit. Police know I'm the one in charge but they know there is next to f*** all on me.
"I don't even put the tracker on.
"They have no evidence to back up what they are saying. Just some story books."
The jury heard Steven told Belfield: "I reckon you could squeeze a manslaughter. Accidents happen, bro."
He also said in a voice note: "If you put all the cuts on his face aside and the burns that was off whatever.
"He's got a f****** wound to the arm what got tarted up and a few bangs to the head.
"And he was f****** breathing when they called 999."
Prosecutors argued Belfield was looking for "items of value" in Thomas' Mossley home, in Greater Manchester.
Dr Philip Lumb told Manchester Crown Court yesterday that Thomas was discovered in the hallway of his home, lying on his back after the savage attack.
"He was naked apart from a pair of socks," he told the court.
Dr Lumb said his ankles were "bound together tightly" with duct tape.
Injuries to the head and neck suggested a "sustained blunt sharp force physical assault".
Dr Lumb argued that burns on Thomas's body had been caused by a "hot liquid such as hot water", MEN reported.
His arm was found with a "makeshift tourniquet" after an injury that would have bled a lot.
Dr Lumb concluded that Thomas's cause of death included "multiple sharp force injures, blunt force head injuries" and "pressure to the neck".
The court heard that there was a tracking device placed on Thomas's car and "reconnaissance" was carried out in the days before he died on July 2, 2022.
The court was told that Belfield was responsible for putting the tracker on Thomas's car and he was involved in the "reconnaissance" at his home.
He was not present at the scene of the death, the trial heard.
Belfield denies murder and conspiracy to rob.
The trial continues.
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Reece Steven, 29, and Belfield's driver Stephen Cleworth were both jailed for their role in Thomas's death
Credit: GMP
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Images of the crime scene in Greater Manchester
Credit: Cavendish