Drug dealer’s ex-wife, 38, who helped arrange his killing is jailed for 13 years

The ex-wife of a gangster who arranged the ‘barbaric murder’ of her ex-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 suffered by her ex-husband Thomas Campbell, which would only have been known to his killers.

The former sales clerk at Matalan’s shop visited a clairvoyant four days after her ex-spouse of ten years was tortured to death by a gang following a dispute over his new girlfriend.

At the spirit meeting, she claimed that Thomas was summoned by the clairvoyant and said that he gave her intimate details about the murder and his injuries as she listened.

She passed them on to the victim’s suspected mother, who alerted police to the strange conversation.

At the time of the session, the police had released little information about the fatal assault, but Colleen fell under suspicion as only the killers could have known the details about Thomas’s fatal injuries.

Investigations revealed that the mother of four had been informing the killers of her ex-husband’s movements in the lead up to the murder.

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

He was stabbed, beaten and trampled before having boiling water poured on his buttocks. The neighbors found his naked body in the hallway except for his socks.

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

Sentencing the judge, Judge Julian Goose said: ‘Colleen Campbell, as the ex-wife of Thomas Campbell, was part of the planning and organization of the robbery.

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

Colleen and Thomas initially became famous for a series of extravagant trips abroad financed by their family cocaine-dealing business. The couple who married in 2011 were eventually apprehended in a 2018 police operation that culminated in them admitting to concealing criminal property.

Colleen received a suspended sentence, but Thomas served two years in jail and after his release from jail, the couple broke up acrimoniously in 2021 when he began an affair with another woman.

Initially, Colleen messaged her friends saying, “The best thing this man ever did was fuck my baggy partner 12 months ago.” She rolls in new beginnings.

But others read: ‘Never let the actions of a man who cannot be loyal to his own family and a woman without morals and has to sleep with other women’s husbands, change and provoke you. Karma is best served cold, and then the tables turn very quickly. I’ll be the coldest MF you’ve ever met.

She was later drawn into the sinister plot after the unnamed lover’s ex-boyfriend, 28-year-old John Belfield, also found out about the affair and decided to rob Thomas of cash, drugs and valuables in a raid. revenge at home.

In text messages to his ex, Belfield said: ‘You and that helmet will be vaulted. You will never have a boyfriend. You will have to change country. Give it a week and you’ll see why and what happens when you take the pi**. Why would he respect you fucking Tom Campbell?

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

She shared key information about her ex, including details of his truck’s license plate, home number and his movements, and a tracking device was placed in the vehicle while Thomas was picking up his daughter from school.

On July 2, 2022, Thomas was ambushed and attacked by two or three men as he was opening the front door. After being subdued, they dragged him through his house and brutally attacked him for two hours.

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

‘He told me that Thomas had come during his visit to the psychic and asked him to come to my house. She said that he had told her that these boys had hurt him and done something to her face. It was for a girl or girls. As she said these words, Coleen waved a hand to her cheek.

“I told him I didn’t want to know and told the police what he said about Thomas’s injuries. She said there were only two people involved in the incident and not three, and that they were still in the country. Coleen later told me that Thomas had said that she wasn’t worried about dying young since he had lived a full life. I didn’t see Coleen again after this and haven’t seen her since.

Prosecutor Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC said: “At this time, the injuries to Thomas Campbell’s face had not been disclosed to the public by police. So this information could only have reached Coleen Campbell from one of those who were present and participating in the attack. Telephone evidence shows that she spoke to John Belfield within hours of the attack ending.

“The point for the prosecution is that this is information given to him by John Belfield, probably before paramedics pronounced Thomas Campbell dead.”

Coleen denied wrongdoing. Reece Steven, 29, was found guilty of murder and jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years, while 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 organized crime group. Belfield, who is said to be “very concerned about the large-scale supply of Class A drugs”, is believed to be at large in Spain.

Thomas’s father, Terry, told the court: “Animals are beautiful things, all I can call these people are creatures.” Ever 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’s brother, Daniel, said: “In the days after Thomas died, well-wishers would come to pay their respects and offer to help, but there was one visitor who we welcomed with open arms, and he has haunted us ever since. so”.

“When Colleen Campbell showed up at my mom and dad’s front door after the news broke, we didn’t think we’d let her in and comfort her as much as we could. She sat in my mom and dad’s house, surrounded by Thomas’s family and closest friends, and she expressed how upset she was.

She shared stories about her marriage and said how much she still loved him. Every member of my family 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 that we hold her and spend time with her during the worst time of our lives has added an additional burden, unimaginable pain. She has shown no remorse, in our opinion. She hid the implication from her and she saw us all hurt.