John Belfield jailed for life after torturing love rival Thomas Campbell to death'

A twisted drug dealer who tortured his love rival to death for two gruelling hours has been sentenced to life in prison after he was busted for his killer plot.

John Belfield, 31, hired a ruthless team to help him kill Thomas Campbell after he started a relationship with Demi-Lee Driver, his killer's ex-partner. Belfield had previously denied being one of three people who approached Campbell outside of his home in Mossley, Tameside on July 2, 2022. He was discovered tied up with duct tape on his ankles.

The 38-year-old was found with 61 injuries which indicated "restraint" and "asphyxia". He was taken inside of the property where he was stabbed and strangled. The group had also covered his genitals in hot liquid.

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Campbell's ex-wife had been in on the plot. Coleen Campbell had fed her former spouse's killers vital information about his whereabouts and was found guilty of manslaughter following a trial in 2023.

Reece Steven, who Belfield recruited into the crime, was found guilty of murder. Stephen Cleworth, who Belfield also recruited and planted a tracking device on Campbell's car, was convictedof manslaughter. All were jailed in 2023.

The third attacker who formed part of the group who attacked Campbell remains unknown and is wanted by police. Belfield evaded police and fled the country two days after the murder. He eventually holed up in Suriname, a former Dutch colony north of Brazil, before he was arrested there in March 2023 and eventually flown back to Manchester a year later. On Thursday (July 3), he was found guilty on both counts by jurors, who were unanimous.

Mr Justice Graham, who sentenced John Belfield, described the injuries as nothing short but "horrendous". He said he had no doubt that Belfield "took pleasure in his pain". The judge added: "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. I find you, John Belfield, were the leading role in the conspiracy to rob and the attack itself. This gang of thugs, with which you were the leader, attacked Mr Campbell and stole from him the drugs you believed he had. No one knows what exactly happened in Riverside. It cannot be said who delivered the blows with knives, fists or boots.”