A fraudster who forged her qualifications and practised as a doctor across the UK for more than twenty years has been jailed in Greater Manchester this month.
21.02.2023 - 14:49 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
His name loomed large as the full horror of Thomas Campbell's murder emerged for the first time. But John Belfield was nowhere to be seen.
Believed to have fled the country, his name rang out at Bolton Crown Court but he did not take his seat alongside his four co-accused as five weeks worth of evidence played out. Despite his absence, he played a central role in the trial.
Captured on CCTV footage, his social media activity and movements forensically examined, prosecutors claimed it put him at the scene of the crime. This newly released CCTV footage taken from the Flavour Factory takeaway in Failsworth shows Belfield with Reece Steven, a convicted armed robber later found guilty of Campbell's murder, just hours before the killing.
READ MORE: How Thomas Campbell was betrayed by a woman who claimed to love him
His alleged motives were the central plank of their case, and he was described as the 'mastermind' of the attack. They argued that alleged drug dealer Belfield wanted to punish Thomas Campbell for daring to begin a relationship with his ex-girlfriend, a woman he was said to regard as 'his property'. Robbing Campbell of cash, drugs or valuables was another advantage of a plan to target his love rival, they claimed.
They alleged he was at the scene when Campbell was 'tortured to death' on Saturday, July 2 last year. He had plotted with Campbell's ex-wife Coleen Campbell who provided key intelligence about her former spouse's movements, the trial heard.
Belfield, 28, was not in court to give his side of the story, and it remains to be seen if he ever will. But if GMP get their way, there will be a second part to this appalling tale.
"Belfield is currently a priority for us," Detective Inspector Simon Akker, the officer
A fraudster who forged her qualifications and practised as a doctor across the UK for more than twenty years has been jailed in Greater Manchester this month.
Earlier this week, three people were jailed after a drug dealer was found tortured to death in his own home. Thomas Campbell, 38, was beaten up, stabbed and burned with boiling water after three men ambushed him at his front door.
A 48-hour dispersal order has been put in place in a town centre as police tackle increased reports of anti-social behaviour. The order was put in place in Winsford, Cheshire, at 3.30pm today (February 25) and is set to last for two-days.
Three people jailed after Thomas Campbell was 'tortured to death' in his own home among the criminals locked up in Greater Manchester this week.
The horror of Thomas Campbell's last moments is unimaginable. He was tied up, stabbed, battered, then burned with hot water while being tortured for two hours.
Detectives are investigating an arson attack at the former home of a woman jailed after her ex-husband was found tortured to death. Firefighters were called to Coleen Campbell's former home in Clayton, east Manchester, hours after she was locked up for 13 years for the manslaughter of Thomas Campbell, her ex-spouse of 10 years.
A woman was rushed to hospital by paramedics this evening following a collision in Stalybridge.
Police have issued an appeal to help them trace a missing Manchester woman who hasn't been seen for five days.
Drivers faced huge delays and miles of congestion on the M56 this afternoon following a multi-vehicle crash.
Sitting in the waiting room at Manchester Children's Hospital, Shaun Stirrup and his wife Pip sat inconsolable with grief and shock.
Two men led officers on a pursuit of more than 10 miles along three motorways before being brought to a sudden halt. Police were alerted to reports of an Iveco box van on false plates at the Poplar 2000 services in Lymm, Cheshire, at 10.50pm on Tuesday (February 21).
A fire which caused passengers to evacuate a station near Manchester is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. Plumes of smoke could be seen at Wilmslow station last night (February 22) after a train caught fire.
A senior detective called to the scene of Thomas Campbell's murder described what he saw as being 'like something from a horror film', as three convicted killers faced justice. Mr Campbell, 38, was subjected to two hours of 'unimaginable' pain as he was tortured to death in his own home.
A main road in Manchester has been blocked this evening after reports of a serious collision involving a motorbike.
A huge drug dealing operation was rumbled after a secret tiny phone was recovered from the leader’s prison cell. Ashley Blackett, 35, was serving time in custody when prison officers raided his cell and found bags of heroin along with the small Zanco phone.
Police have confirmed that a man has sadly died following a large emergency services presence in Tameside yesterday afternoon.
Police are becoming 'increasingly concerned' for a missing 24-year-old man who was last seen in Middleton. Greater Manchester Police says Liam, whose surname has not been given, was seen at 11.05am today (February 22) on Francis Close, Langley.
The family of murdered dad Thomas Campbell say they have 'justice' after three people, including his ex-wife, received lengthy jail sentences for their roles in his brutal killing. The 38-year-old father-of-two was tortured to death in his own home after being ambushed by three men armed with weapons.
The dad of a man who was brutally murdered at his home in Tameside has described his killers as 'creatures' ahead of their sentencing today.
Disney+ is gearing up to drop a brand-new documentary fronted by reality TV star Spencer Matthews. The feature-length doc follows the former Made in Chelsea star as he travels to Mount Everest to search for his brother Michael, who disappeared there more than 20 years ago.