A criminal accused of ‘masterminding’ the torture and murder of a ‘love rival’ today insisted he was at home watching Finding Nemo with his daughter at the time.
John Belfield – who is accused of being the ‘mastermind’ behind the brutal killing of Thomas Campbell – said his alleged ‘right-hand man’ told him afterwards that there had been an ‘altercation’ and ‘things got a bit out of hand’.
The 38-year-old’s bloodied body was found by worried neighbours in the hallway of his home in Mossley, Greater Manchester the following morning, a jury has been told.
His ankles had been bound with extra-strength duct tape and he had been burnt using a hot liquid before being left to die, naked apart from a pair of socks.
Belfield – a self-confessed drug dealer – ‘fled’ to South America after the killing in July 2022 but was later arrested and flown back to Britain to stand trial.
Giving evidence in his defence today, the 31-year-old insisted he had travelled in a Range Rover to his sister’s house in nearby Ashton-under-Lyne that night.
He said he watched the 2003 animated comedy Finding Nemo with his daughter and niece before falling asleep on the couch.
Belfield said his associate Reece Steven – who has already been convicted of Mr Campbell’s murder – had been using the Range Rover that night.
John Belfield, 31, (pictured) is accused of being the ringleader behind the plot. He denies being at the scene and has pleaded not guilty to murder and conspiracy to rob
Thomas Campbell, 38, was tortured and murdered in his own home in Mossley, Greater Manchester in July 2022, a jury has been told, before his near-naked body was dumped in the hallway
Coleen Campbell was among those previously convicted in connection with Thomas Campbell’s death
But he returned in the early hours of the morning to say there had been ‘an altercation’ with Mr Campbell and ‘things got a bit out of hand’, he told jurors at Manchester Crown Court.
‘He did not really expand on that,’ he said.
Belfield said he asked Steven ‘Why are you involving me in this problem?’ but agreed to let him use his sister’s car.
‘I should not have helped him,’ he said.
‘I should have turned him away.’
Prosecutors claim that Belfield was the ‘driving force’ behind the deadly ambush.
They allege he was fuelled by jealousy over the victim being in a relationship with his ex-girlfriend and a desire to steal from him.
Steven, Belfield and a third unknown man were all present when Mr Campbell was tortured to death, according to the prosecution.
The 38-year-old, pictured with Coleen on holiday, was discovered by shocked neighbours
Campbell was ambushed by three men as he opened his front door in Mossley, Greater Manchester
Belfield has admitted he took part in alleged ‘recces’ before the killing and helped disguise the van used in the ambush afterwards.
But he denies being present when he was killed, or being involved in placing a tracking device on Mr Campbell’s VW van or buying items used in his torture.
He admits speaking to the victim’s ex-wife Coleen about the possibility of stealing drugs from Mr Campbell, who he described as ‘higher up than me’ in the criminal world.
But he says he did not want ‘conflict’ with him as he was ‘a lot bigger and stronger than me’.
Today Belfield said it was not until two days later that he learnt Mr Campbell had died in the attack.
Asked by his barrister Richard Wright KC how he reacted, Belfield said: ‘I was more scared about what would happen to me because of who Tom was.’
Mr Wright asked: ‘Why? Did you kill him?’
Belfield replied: ‘I did not kill him.
‘I know now that some of my associates had done this crime.’
Belfield said he fled abroad fearing he would wrongly being blamed for the murder.
Coleen Campbell is pictured outside Manchester Crown Court during an earlier hearing on a different matter in 2019
Reece Steven (left), 29, was convicted of murder and was jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years whilst Stephen Cleworth (right), 38, was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 12 years
He caught a ferry to Ireland before travelling via Amsterdam, Spain and Brazil to the former Dutch colony of Suriname.
‘I went there to keep myself safe,’ he said.
‘I did not want to put my family in danger by being in England.
‘I knew people would attack me and maybe kill me in revenge.
‘I did not want my daughter to get hurt and I did not want to be killed myself.’
Belfield admits he and another associate, Stephen Cleworth, were seen outside Mr Campbell’s house while he was away from home on June 29 – three days before the murder on July 2.
He said that he was there as part of a plan to find Mr Campbell’s drugs stash hidden in field and he had no intention of breaking in.
Belfield said Cleworth urged him to break in but he refused.
‘He was calling me a s*** bag and saying “He is sleeping with your bird”,’ he said.
Belfield said he replied: ‘I am not going into Thomas Campbell’s house. I am not stupid.’
Jurors have been told that Steven was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob at a 2023 trial.
Coleen Campbell was found guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob after providing crucial details about his movements before the gang pounced.
Cleworth was convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob for his role in surveillance in the run-up to the killing.
Belfield, of no fixed address, denies murder and conspiracy to rob.
The trial continues.
