Guilty by seance
Gangster’s ex-wife is convicted of arranging his killing after claiming he ‘gave evidence’ from beyond grave
A GANGSTER’S former wife who arranged his killing was found out after a seance, a jury heard.
Coleen Campbell, 38, claimed a clairvoyant summoned up the spirit of Thomas Campbell, 36, who was tortured to death, saying he gave her information about the attack from beyond the grave.
But the mother-of-four was investigated by police after she passed on details apparently ‘learned’ from the seance to Mr Campbell’s mother. Detectives said only those involved in the killing could have known about his injuries, Bolton Crown Court was told.
Police found she had helped to set up the attack by tipping off rival crooks about her ex-husband’s movements, allowing them to place a tracker on his car.
She had split acrimoniously from Mr Campbell after he had an affair. The gangster, who led a lavish lifestyle through drug dealing and money laundering, suffered 60 injuries in an ambush at his house in Mossley, Greater Manchester, last year. The father- of- two was stabbed, punched and stamped on before boiling water was poured on him. Neighbours found his body naked except for socks.
Campbell was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter. She will be sentenced today and could face life in jail. Mr Campbell’s mother Lynn said at the trial: ‘[Coleen] 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.’ Prosecutor Nicholas de la Poer KC told the court: ‘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.’
He said that phone evidence showed she spoke to John Bellfield, 28 – the ex-boyfriend of Mr Campbell’s mistress – ‘within hours of the attack’. The jury heard the plot was hatched after Bellfield learned of the affair and he decided to rob Mr Campbell of cash and drugs in a revenge raid on his home. In texts to his ex, Bellfield said: ‘You and that helmet will get domed [killed].’
The court was told Bellfield met up with Coleen Campbell after contacting her online and they exchanged 35 phone calls and 68 messages. Campbell claimed she went to see the clairvoyant four days after the killing.
Two men are also due to be sentenced over the attack – Reece Steven, 29, convicted of murder, and Stephen Cleworth, 38, found guilty of manslaughter. Bellfield is thought to be on the run in Spain. He faces charges of conspiracy to murder and rob.
‘She knew details of wounds’