Skip to main content FAMILY OF MURDERED THOMAS CAMPBELL SPEAK OF RELIEF FOLLOWING UNCERTAIN WAIT OVER FATE OF TREACHEROUS EX-WIFE COLEEN
THOMAS’ FATHER SAID WAITING FOR THE GOVERNMENT’S DECISION HAD BEEN A ‘REAL STRAIN’. NOW ELEMENTS OF THE EARLY PRISON RELEASE PLANS HAVE BEEN REVERSED
Thomas Campbell and Coleen Campbell(Image: GMP)
Comments News Andrew Bardsley Court reporter 17:31, 07 Sep 2026 The family of murdered Thomas Campbell have told of their relief after they learned his treacherous ex-wife will not be considered for early release from prison.
Coleen Campbell, the mother of Thomas’ children, was convicted of manslaughter over her involvement in a plot which saw him ambushed outside his home in Mossley, Tameside .
He was bundled inside, tortured for two hours and murdered. A huge police investigation later revealed that his former spouse had conspired with other criminals and passed on key information about his movements.
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She was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2023, and told she would serve two-thirds of that term in jail, about eight-and-a-half years, with an expected release in 2031.
But under proposals announced by the previous Labour government, offenders convicted of manslaughter, rape and other sexual offences, who would ordinarily be expected to serve two-thirds of their sentence, as directed by the judge at the time, would have instead serve half of their sentence locked up.
The previous administration argued that the change was necessary to avoid a potential crisis for the criminal justice system, with prisons almost reaching full capacity. But after he was elected Labour leader and became Prime Minister, Andy Burnham vowed to review the policy and has since announced a reversal to the policy.
View 5 Images Prime Minister Andy Burnham(Image: Leon Neal, Getty Images)
In an announcement earlier this week, it was said that offenders convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter and death by dangerous driving, will now be excluded from early release.
Mr Burnham said ‘hundreds’ of extra people will remain in prison following the changes, which are set to become law soon. The Prime Minister said extra space in prisons would instead be created by deporting foreign prisoners and releasing inmates who are serving indefinite sentences under imprisonment for public protection sentences (IPPs), which were handed to offenders considered a significant risk to the public between 2005 and 2012. IPPs were later abolished but the ban was not retrospective.
Thomas Campbell’s father Terry told the Manchester Evening News that the change in policy was ‘great news’. “It was a real strain on the family, the ‘will she? Won’t she?’,” he said.
View 5 Images Thomas Campbell(Image: GMP)
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Burnham said he understood the ‘anguish’ bereaved families have endured in the period before he announced the reversal in policy. Asked by an MP if he would apologise to them, Mr Burnham replied: “I do understand their anguish.”
He added: “I listened to what they were saying – I came in and asked for changes to the early release scheme, and we excluded rape, grooming and child sex offences. But hearing those voices, I wasn’t satisfied and I pushed the system to go further.
“And as a result of that, we are going further and excluding death by dangerous driving and other manslaughter offences. So, I hope now she can give that certainty to the family – give them also my best wishes.
View 5 Images Left to right: Stephen Cleworth, Coleen Campbell and Reece Steven(Image: GMP)
“I believe we’re coming to the right position and I can assure her that the Justice Secretary (Alex Norris) will be on top of this situation, so that we ensure we are never in this position again.”
Coleen Campbell and three men were prosecuted for their roles in the plot. She was not present at the time of the attack, on July 2, 2023, and was found guilty of manslaughter.
John Belfield, the ringleader of the gang, and Reece Steven, an associate of his, were found guilty of murder. Stephen Cleworth, a thug who was also not there on the day of the attack but was involved in the build up, was convicted of manslaughter. All four were also convicted of conspiring to rob Thomas Campbell.
View 5 Images John Belfield was arrested in Suriname, South America(Image: Greater Manchester Police)
As they lay in wait outside his home, Thomas’ attackers were targeting money, jewellery, any valuables they could get their hands on. As a judge later said, this was a ‘robbery of a drug dealer by other drug dealers’, a sophisticated and highly organised crime, which had horrendous results.
Belfield and Steven were handed life sentences, and both ordered to serve a minimum of 37 years. Cleworth was also handed a life sentence, to serve at least 12 years. Evidence showed that Coleen had begun speaking with Belfield and met up with him prior to the attack.
Thomas was seeing an ex of Belfield’s at the time of his death. Coleen and Belfield then formed an alliance which resulted in a brutal murder.
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