A MAN murdered in a brutal late-night attack was discovered naked with his ankles bound and burns on his body, a court heard.
Thomas Campbell was ambushed on his doorstep in an attack allegedly orchestrated by his partner’s ex-boyfriend.
His body was discovered by his neighbours the morning after three men “pounced” on him as he arrived home late on a Saturday night, a court heard.
Manchester Crown Court was told the 38-year-old was killed after “very careful planning by a team of highly organised criminals”.
The alleged “mastermind” of the plot is John Belfield, 31, who is on trial and denies murder.
Thomas was dating Belfield’s ex-girlfriend and he was “hostile” about the relationship, the court heard.
The victim’s glam ex Coleen was previously convicted for manslaughter after his death, and she was jailed for 13 years in 2023.
The mum-of-four passed on information about her ex husband’s movements – including details she learned from her children.
Dr Philip Lumb told Manchester Crown Court that Thomas was discovered in the hallway of his home, lying on his back after the savage attack.
“He was naked apart from a pair of socks.”
Dr Lumb said his ankles were “bound together tightly” with duct tape.
Injuries to the head and neck suggested a “sustained blunt sharp force physical assault”.
Dr Lumb argued that burns on Thomas’s body had been caused by a “hot liquid such as hot water”, MEN reported.
His arm was found with a “makeshift tourniquet” after an injury that would have bled a lot.
Dr Lumb concluded that Thomas’s cause of death included “multiple sharp force injures, blunt force head injuries” and “pressure to the neck”.
The court was informed that a tracking device had been installed on Thomas’s car, and “reconnaissance” operations were conducted in the days leading up to his death on July 2, 2022.
The court was told that Belfield was responsible for putting the tracker on Thomas’s car and he was involved in the “reconnaissance” at his home.
He was not present at the scene of the death, the trial heard.
Belfield’s “right-hand man,” Reece Steven, aged 29, had earlier been convicted of Thomas’s murder with conspiracy to rob and received a life sentence.
Belfield’s driver Stephen Cleworth, 38, was also convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob and was jailed for 12 years.
The identity of the third attacker remains a mystery.
Belfield denies murder and conspiracy to rob.
The trial continues.
