THIS is the chilling moment a killer ambushed his love rival on his doorstep after plotting the murder with the victim’s glam ex-wife.
Thomas Campbell was discovered naked and bound with duct tape in his hallway after he was ambushed on his doorstep.
Footage showed Thomas Campbell’s final moments as he was pounced on at homeMEN Media
MEN MediaJohn Belfield was today jailed for life for murdering his love rival[/caption]
Belfield had plotted the murder with his victim’s ex Coleen CampbellSteve Allen
MEN MediaThomas Campbell, with ex wife Colleen, who helped his killers[/caption]
Footage showed the 38-year-old being dragged inside and tortured to death in a two-hour horror ordeal.
Before the horror, Thomas had been dating John Belfield’s ex Demi-Lee Driver and he was “hostile” about the relationship.
Drug dealer Belfield, 31, masterminded the plot to murder Thomas at his home in Mossley, Greater Manchester, using intel passed to him by the victim’s ex-wife, Coleen Campbell.
He fled to Suriname in South American after the killing but was arrested and deported last year and has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years after being convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob.
There were screams of “rot in hell” and “rat” as Belfield was led to the cells at Manchester Crown Court.
Sentencing, Mr Justice Graham said: “Thomas Campbell was no saint. Like you, he was involved in the sale and distribution of drugs. 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.”
Campbell, 38, was previously jailed for 13 years after she shared intelligence of Thomas’ whereabouts to Belfield.
The mum-of-four was captured on CCTV in her pink pyjamas chatting to Belfield for 25 minutes in her garden just hours before the savage attack.
She and Belfield had met up and also exchanged 35 phonecalls and 68 messages as she conspired to have her ex-husband robbed.
During this time, Campbell divulged key information about Thomas – including details of his van’s registration plate and his house number.
Further footage released by police showed a tracking device being placed on Thomas’ car as he dropped his daughter off at school.
MEN MediaColleen Campbell was captured plotting the murder with Belfield[/caption]
MEN MediaBelfield seen with Reece Steven in a takeaway hours before the killing[/caption]
Belfield, Reece Steven, 29, and Stephen Cleworth, 38, used this to conduct reconnaissance missions to the dad’s home.
The court heard Belfield was “obsessed” with his ex Demi-Lee, who was now dating Thomas, and had messaged her before the killing, warning: “You’re mine”.
He also text his ex, saying: “You will never have a boyfriend you will have to move country give it a week and you will see why and happens when you take the p***.”
In the lead-up to the brutal murder, Belfield also sent Thomas a message, saying: “I’m going to s**g her [Campbell] for the point of it as well as saying you like her you soft boy.”
The prosecutor said a few days after the messages, Thomas died in the “most terrible way”.
On July 3, 2022, three men “pounced” on the dad as he arrived home late from a night out.
Blood splattered the walls of his smart new-build home as he was bound and brutalised while being tortured for two hours.
A post mortem found injuries to his head and neck suggested a “sustained blunt sharp force physical assault”.
The dad also had burns on his body that were caused by a “hot liquid such as hot water”.
He had been dragged around the house as the attackers took as much money or drugs as they could get their hands on.
Thomas was then left to die in the hallway before being discovered the following day by a neighbour.
After fleeing to South America following the gruesome killing, Belfield sent a series of chilling messages to his cronies.
In one exchange with “right-hand man” Reece Steven, he callously joked the victim must have “bled everywhere”.
Steven, who has been jailed for Thomas’ murder, replied: “Tommy crumble. Dripping in tom juice everywhere.”
Campbell was jailed last year for 13 years after being convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder.
Steven, 29, was caged for at least 37 years for murder while Stephen Cleworth, 38, was handed a minimum term of 12 years for manslaughter.
Detective Sergeant Paul Davies, the senior investigating officer on this case, said: “This was a meticulously planned, targeted attack that we believed Belfield played a leading role in influencing, orchestrating, and executing.
“The excessive violence used towards the victim made it clear to detectives investigating that Belfield was intending to kill his target, and I am pleased the jury came to the same conclusion through the extensive evidence presented in court and didn’t believe Belfield’s claims he was attempting to rob.
“Belfield cowardly went on the run the day after he committed this horrific murder, endeavouring to evade police questioning. When his criminal associates were on trial before being sent to prison, we uncovered messages Belfield sent them from abroad, looking to influence the proceedings and showing a complete disregard for the victim and a true lack of remorse, which is testament to his character.
“I hope he reflects on this, and that today’s outcome will provide a sense of closure to Thomas’ family, who have had to sit through another lengthy trial and hear the gruesome details of their loved one’s death.
“The strength and dignity they’ve displayed throughout has been commendable, and they can now be assured everyone believed to be involved has now been brought to justice.”
Campbell had passed on information about her ex’s whereaboutsMEN Media
GMPShe was jailed for manslaughter following the horror[/caption]
MEN MediaThomas was found dead by his neighbours[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
