Three people jailed after 'sophisticated' murder of dad in Tameside
Thomas Campbell suffered more than 60 separate injuries
Last updated 22nd Feb 2023
Three people, including the victim's ex-wife, have been jailed over their involvement in the murder of Thomas Campbell in Tameside.
He was attacked as he tried to open the front door of his home in Riverside, Mossley at around 11pm on Saturday 2 July 2022.
At Bolton Crown Court on Wednesday, Colleen Campbell was jailed for 13 years for manslaughter, Reece Steven was sentenced to life with a minimum of 37 years for murder, and Steven Cleworth was jailed for life with a minimum of 12 years for manslaughter.
Mr Campbell was bundled into his home and for the next two hours, he was tortured and killed.
The jury at Bolton Crown Court heard that he suffered more than 60 injuries during the attack.
Those injuries were consistent with with being stamped on or kicked, stabbed, strangled and scoulded.
Mr Campbell's house was ramsacked, but it's not known if the offenders found what they were looking for.
Despite the time they spent there, no forensic evidence was left at the scene.
His body was found by neighbours the next day.
The attack was planned for several days - with John Belfield, who police are still looking for, thought to be the main instigator.
His ex-partner was seeing Mr Campbell, which police think could be the motive for the murder.
The prosecution argued that Colleen Campbell, Thomas' ex-wife, had gathered the information needed to carry out the attack.
In the week leading up to the murder, Steven Cleworth and Reece Steven, along with another man, arranged for a tracker to be put on Thomas' van.
Steven and two other men lied in wait outside his home and attacked Thomas as he returned home.
After the attack, they tried to cover their tracks by taking the CCTV hard drive and ring doorbell with them when they left.
They had waited outside his home a few days earlier, but when Thomas got home, he didn't go into his house as they thought he would because he took his dog for a walk.
Coleen Campbell, 38 and Stephen Cleworth, 38, were found guilty of manslaughter and Reece Steven, 29, was convicted of murder.
Lucy Scully, Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS North West’s Complex Casework Unit, said:
“Thomas must have been absolutely terrified during the vicious and relentless two-hour attack.
“The CPS worked hard with Greater Manchester Police to piece together the strands of evidence to prove that this was a pre-planned and sophisticated attack, where each person played their part in causing Thomas’s death. Despite their attempts to cover their tracks, they have been found guilty.
“My thoughts are very much with Thomas’s family and friends."
After his death, Thomas' family paid tribute:
"Tom was a loving son, brother, uncle and devoted father who was always smiling.
"He would go out of his way to help his family and friends without a second thought."