Drug dealer’s ex-wife, 38, who helped arrange his killing and implicated herself by relaying details about his death to the victim’s mother is jailed for 13 years

• Coleen Campbell was jailed for over 10 years after her manslaughter conviction
• She was found guilty of helping to arrange ‘barbaric killing’ of her ex, Thomas

A gangster’s ex-wife who arranged the ‘barbaric killing’ of her former spouse and then exposed her involvement after a séance was jailed for 13 years today. 

Colleen Campbell, 38, implicated herself by sharing graphic information about the injuries sustained by her ex-husband Thomas Campbell – that would only have been known by his killers.

The former Matalan store assistant visited a clairvoyant four days after her former spouse of ten years was tortured to death by a gang following a feud about his new girlfriend.

At the spiritual meeting, she claimed Thomas was summoned by the clairvoyant and said he gave intimate details about both the killing and his injuries as she listened in.

She relayed them to the victim’s suspicious mother who alerted police to the bizarre conversation.

Coleen Campbell, 38, was jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of manslaughter. Her ex-husband Thomas Campbell (pictured together outside court in 2019) was ambushed and murdered in July 2022

 The cocaine dealer, who played an ‘integral’ part in an organised crime gang, was dragged around his home and viciously attacked for two hours, into the morning of July 3. Pictured: Coleen (left) and Thomas Campbell (right)

Lynn Campbell (above), told police how Coleen shared intimate details of her son’s injuries and information on his attackers after claiming to have been visited by her ex-partner during an encounter with a clairvoyant days after the attack

At the time of the séance, little information had previously been made public by police about the fatal assault – but Colleen fell under suspicion as only the killers could have known the details about Thomas’ fatal wounds. 

Inquiries revealed the mother of four had been tipping off the killers about her ex-husband’s movements in the run up to the killing.

Thomas, 36, who led a lavish lifestyle through drug dealing and laundering dirty money suffered 61 separate injuries during an ambush at his £350,000 townhouse in Mossley, Greater Manchester.

He was stabbed, punched and stamped on before boiling water was poured on his buttocks. Neighbours found his body in the hallway naked except for his socks.

At Bolton Crown Court, Colleen, of Clayton was found guilty of manslaughter, following a five week trial.

Sentencing the judge Mr Justice Julian Goose said: ‘Colleen Campbell, as the former wife of Thomas Campbell, was part of the planning and organisation for the robbery.

‘She was aware of the use of a vehicle tracker. She provided important information about Thomas Campbell’s movement, his vehicle details and where he lived. She was told that he was to be robbed and knew that violence would be necessary.’

Colleen and Thomas initially became notorious over a string extravagant trips abroad funded by their family-run cocaine trafficking racket. The couple who married in 2011 were eventually detained in a police operation in 2018 which culminated in them admitting concealing criminal property.

As Thomas Campbell, 38, opened his front door in Mossley, Greater Manchester, he was ambushed and attacked by three men at around 11pm on July 2 2022

Thomas and his ex-wife Coleen Campbell pictured together on holiday 

Colleen was given a suspended sentence but Thomas served two years jail and after his release from jail the couple split up acrimoniously in 2021 when he started an affair with another woman.

Initially Colleen sent messages to friends saying: ‘Best thing this man did was sh*g my baggy mate 12 months ago. Roll on new beginnings.’

But others read: ‘Never let the actions of a man that cannot be loyal to his own family and a woman with no morals and has to sleep with other women’s husbands, change and provoke you. Karma is best served cold – and then tables turn real fast. I be the coldest MF you ever met.’

She later got caught up in the sinister plot after the unnamed mistress’ ex-boyfriend John Belfield, 28, also learnt of the romance and decided to rob Thomas of cash, drugs and valuables in a revenge raid on his home.

In texts to his ex, Belfield said: ‘You and that helmet will get domed. You will never have a boyfriend. You will have to move country. Give it a week and you will see why and what happens when you take the pi**. Why would I respect you getting sha**** off Tom Campbell.’

The alleged ‘mastermind’ of the fatal attack John Belfield, 28, who is said to be ‘heavily concerned in the large scale supply of class A drugs’, is on the run and wanted by police

Later Bellfield met up with Colleen after messaging her on Instagram and despite previously being strangers they subsequently shared 35 phone calls and 68 messages.

She shared key information about her ex, including details of his van’s registration plate, his house number and his movements and a tracking device was placed on the vehicle whilst Thomas was picking his daughter up from school.

On July 2 2022, Thomas was ambushed and attacked by two or three men as he unlocked his front door. After being subdued he was dragged around his home and viciously attacked for two hours.

The court heard Colleen went to see the clairvoyant four days later. Thomas’ mother Lynn Campbell said in a statement: ‘Coleen told me she had visited a psychic in Wythenshawe.

‘She told me that Thomas had come through during her visit to the psychic and asked her to come to my house. She said he had told her these lads had hurt him and done something to his face. It was over a girl or girls. While she was saying these words Coleen gestured with her hand across her cheek.

‘I told her I don’t want to know and told the police about what she said about Thomas’ injuries. She said there were only two people involved in the incident and not three, and they were still in the country. Coleen then told me Thomas had said he wasn’t bothered about dying young as he had lived a full life. I didn’t see Coleen again following this and haven’t seen her since.’

Police launched a murder investigation after Mr Campbell’s body was discovered by neighbours on July 3 

Police outside the home of Mr Campbell in Mossley, Greater Manchester, in July last year

Prosecutor Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC said: ‘At this stage, the police had not revealed to the public the injuries to Thomas Campbell’s face. So this information could only have come to Coleen Campbell from one of those who were present and participating in the attack. The telephone evidence demonstrates that she spoke to John Belfield within hours of the attack ending.

‘The prosecution’s case is that this is information that John Belfield gave her, probably before Thomas Campbell had been declared dead by paramedics.’

Coleen denied wrongdoing. Reece Steven, 29, was was convicted of murder and was jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years whilst Stephen Cleworth, 38, was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 12 years.

Karl Murphy, 50, was found not guilty of participating in the activities of an organised crime group. Belfield who is said to be ‘heavily concerned in the large scale supply of class A drugs’, is thought to be on the run in Spain.

Thomas’s father Terry told the court: ‘Animals are beautiful things, all I can call these people are creatures. Since Thomas was brutally murdered, every morning when I wake up, the first thing I think about is him alone in the house with those people.

 Thomas Campbell (left) suffered 61 separate injuries after being stabbed, punched, stamped on and even had boiling water poured on his buttocks

Thomas’ brother Daniel said: ‘During the days after Thomas was killed, well-wishers were coming to pay their respects and offering to help but there was one visitor who we welcomed with open arms, and it has haunted us ever since.

‘When Colleen Campbell appeared at my mum and dad’s front door after the news was passed, we thought nothing of letting her in and consoling her as much as we possibly could. She sat in my mum and dad’s house, surrounded by Thomas’ closest family and friends, and expressed how much she was upset.

‘She shared stories about their marriage and said how much she still loved him. Every single one of my family has hugged her and tried to make her feel better, All along, Colleen knew the part she played in the plot that cost Thomas his life.

‘Knowing we hugged her and spent time with her during the worst time of our lives has added an extra burden, an unimaginable pain. She has shown no remorse, in our opinion. She concealed her involvement and watched us all hurt.’

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