By Tim Hanlon
A woman helped set up the savage murder of her drug lord former husband for cheating on her before they split. Thomas Campbell was ‘pounced’ on outside his home in Tameside, Greater Manchester, on July 2, 2022, before the 38-year-old was ‘tortured to death’ for over two hours. The victim was discovered wearing only socks and bound by duct tape at the ankles. John Belfield, 31, has now been convicted of recruiting a ruthless team to help him kill Mr Campbell and he was helped by the victim鈥檚 former wife Coleen Campbell who played a part in orchestrating the attack. Coleen was previously found guilty of manslaughter and conspiring to rob her ex-husband, after she gave details about his movements, including passing on information from her children, jurors heard in Belfield鈥檚 trial. She gave the information to Belfield despite being warned that he would be robbed and 鈥渧iolence would be necessary鈥. Then after Campbell鈥檚 death she acted as though she was devastated but her involvement was exposed when she gave exact details of her ex-husband鈥檚 injuries to his mother. This information she then claimed came from a clairvoyant. The victim had married Coleen in June 2011 after the birth of their first child a year earlier, with a second following in 2015. They appeared to be doing well for themselves. A double storey extension at their semi-detached home in Clayton, east Manchester , and luxury cars including a Mercedes AMG and a BMW X5 on the drive, was evidence of this. Expensive holidays, including a 拢10,000 trip to Cancun with a stay at a five-star hotel, were also enjoyed. At the time, Coleen worked part time at Matalan and received working tax credits, while Thomas was registered as a self-employed fitness instructor. Police began an investigation into the source of their wealth, which ended with a jail sentence for Thomas and Coleen just about avoiding the same. Their home was raided in March 2015, and the Mercedes and BMW on the drive were both seized. They were jointly prosecuted and pleaded guilty to money laundering, enjoying around 拢100,000 of dirty money between 2009 and 2015. Eventually, in 2019 at Manchester Crown Court, Thomas was jailed for two years. Coleen escaped with a suspended prison sentence. Coleen visited him 鈥榚very single week鈥 in jail, but after his release from prison their relationship began to break down. She claimed Thomas became paranoid and accused her of seeing other men while he鈥檇 been inside. Coleen made a number of allegations to police that Thomas had attacked her, placed tracking devices on her car, or threatened her. Thomas also made allegations about Coleen, claiming that she had thrown things at him, damaged his vehicle and abused him over the phone. Both did not pursue the allegations and no further action was taken. Coleen decided that their marriage was over after she accused Thomas of cheating on her with her best friend. “If he had an affair with someone I didn’t know, maybe I could have got over it,” she told her 2023 trial. So angered was she about her husband鈥檚 infidelity, she went to the woman鈥檚 house, smashed the windscreen of her car and drove into it. She was hauled before the courts again in 2021 and fined after admitting causing criminal damage. That year, their split became formal and they divorced. Thomas left the marital home and spent time in Spain and Dubai, before returning home and settling in Mossley. It was found that Mr Campbell had suffered 61 injuries consistent with “restraint” and “asphyxia” when he was attacked and murdered. The injuries to Mr Campbell鈥檚 head and neck were consistent with a “sustained blunt sharp force physical assault” and there was evidence of ‘burning’ to his thigh and buttocks caused by a “hot liquid such as hot water”. He also had a “gaping stab wound” to his right upper arm which would have bled “extensively”. Belfield pleaded not guilty to murder and conspiracy to rob Mr Campbell. However, Mr Justice Garnham told Belfield: “You have been found guilty of murder. The result of that is that I am bound by law to impose on you a sentence of life imprisonment.” Belfield showed no emotion as the verdict was read out. The judge said he will pass sentence on him today.