A ‘jealous’ drug dealer accused of masterminding the brutal torture and killing of his alleged love rival branded his ex-girlfriend a ‘money-grabbing little dog’, a court heard today.
John Belfield, 31, allegedly plotted the murder of Thomas Campbell out of ‘hostility’ because the victim had begun dating his ex-partner, as well as to steal from him.
The 38-year-old’s bloodied body was found bound in extra-strength duct tape and dressed in only a pair of socks in his own home in July 2022.
In the run-up to the killing, Belfield was given crucial details about the intended victim’s movements by Campbell’s ex-wife Coleen, a jury has heard.
She was later found guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.
Today Manchester Crown Court heard of threatening messages that Belfield sent to his ex-girlfriend Demi-Lee Driver, who had begun a relationship with Campbell.
In one he wrote: ‘You and that helmet will get domed.
‘Shut your mouth you dog.’
Another read: ‘There’s not a thing you or him will do so. I think you should get my draws out your house Monday.’
Belfield added: ‘And I’m going to shag his baby mum now for the point of it, you money grabbing little dog.’
Ms Driver refused to give police access to her mobile phone but shared screenshots of the Instagram messages, jurors were told.
Giving evidence in his defence today, Belfield admitted being a drug dealer but claimed he had been at his sister’s home on the night of the killing.
His barrister Richard Wright KC asked him: ‘Do you understand that the prosecution allege that, together with his ex-wife Coleen Campbell, you had personal motivation to attack Thomas Campbell because he was in a relationship with your ex partner Demi-Lee Driver?
‘You were annoyed or jealous of that relationship?’
Belfield replied: ‘I understand that.’
Mr Wright asked: ‘Did you conspire with Coleen Campbell and others to target Mr Campbell as a victim for robbery in his own home?’
‘No,’ Belfield replied.
Mr Wright asked: ‘Were you motivated by jealousy or anger to attack Mr Campbell because he was in a relationship with Demi-Lee Driver?’
Belfield anwered: ‘No.’
Belfield admitted that he had planned to to target Mr Campbell at some point in order to steal his drugs and admitted that he himself was a drug dealer.
He denied being part of the team which placed a tracking device on Mr Campbell’s VW van five days before the murder and said he did not know it had been put there.
Belfield admitted he had taken part in alleged ‘recces’ of Mr Campbell’s home in Mossley, Greater Manchester.
But he denied that he had been one of the men who bought items used in the torture of Mr Campbell from a B&Q store in Oldham four days before the killing.
Mr Wright asked him if he was with Reece Steven – who has been convicted of Mr Campbell’s murder – when he was attacked and killed.
He replied: ‘No. I was at my sister’s house with my niece and nephew.’
Belfield admitted that he had taken part in efforts to disguise the van used in the attack but said he had done so ‘to help my friends’.
He also agreed that he had fled the country after the murder, travelling to the former Dutch colony of Suriname in South America.
But he said: ‘I was scared his friend were going to attack me and kill me because of the rumours they had heard.’
The court has heard the ‘horrific’ killing was the result of ‘very careful planning by a team of highly organised criminals’ who used a tracking device placed on Mr Campbell’s car and carried out reconnaissance on his home in the days before the assault.
Jurors have been told that at a 2023 trial Reece Steven was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob.
Stephen Cleworth, from Heywood, who acted as a driver, was convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.
He was responsible for planting the tracker on Mr Campbell’s vehicle and assisting with surveillance although he was not present during the murder.
Belfield – alleged to have been the ‘driving force’ behind the killing – is now standing trial for the murder after being extradited back from South America.
The prosecution case is that Steven, Belfield and a third unknown man were all present when Mr Campbell was tortured to death.
Belfield, of no fixed address, denies murder and conspiracy to rob.
The trial continues.
