Latest news with #jealousy
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Wannabe influencer who slit wife's throat as she pushed their son's pram was freed to kill by courts months earlier - despite allegedly holding a knife to her throat during jealous rage
A jealous husband who stabbed his wife to death as she pushed their baby in a pram was freed to kill by a court months earlier, the Mail can reveal. Habibur Masum, 26, was yesterday found guilty of murdering wife Kulsuma Akter after she left a women's refuge where she had tried to escape his violent behaviour. But Ms Akter's fate was sealed after controlling Masum, originally from Bangladesh, was allowed back on the streets after allegedly holding a knife to her throat in a jealous rage. Despite a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer urging magistrates to keep him behind bars, he was granted bail on condition that he stayed away from Ms Akter and their Oldham home. Fearing for her life, the mother and her baby were given sanctuary at a refuge in a secret location. But wannabe influencer Masum – who had warned Ms Akter, 'I am going to murder you, and the police will be taking me' – used his technological savvy to track her down. He took advantage of her failure to switch off the location on her Snapchat account to establish she was living in Bradford. He was spotted on CCTV 'loitering, watching and waiting' near the refuge in the days leading up to the fatal attack, jurors heard. Masum even sent Ms Akter a picture of the front of the building, with a message that said: 'I know that you are living in this place. I knew from the first day you moved here.' After Masum threatened to kill her family members, Ms Akter again reported him to the police, and arrangements were put in place to rehouse her. After taunting her that he had found the refuge, Masum laid a false trail to trick her into believing he was on holiday in Spain. Thinking it was safe to take their son out among the Saturday afternoon shoppers on April 6 last year, Ms Akter – who was due to be rehomed two days later – was instead confronted by Masum. In a brazen daylight attack of barbaric ferocity, he repeatedly plunged the blade into his screaming partner, stabbing her more than 25 times before slitting her throat. After the 'cold-blooded' killing, Masum was captured on CCTV grinning as he boarded a bus to make his escape, having left his wife for dead and abandoning their baby in the street. Police launched a manhunt and Masum – who had shaved off his beard – was traced two days later after seeking treatment for 'lockjaw' 170 miles away at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire. Masum, 26, pleaded guilty to his wife's manslaughter and possession of a bladed article but denied murder on the grounds he had lost control. But yesterday a jury at Bradford Crown Court convicted him after deliberating for less than six hours. Masum tracked down his estranged wife Kulsuma before he launched 'ferocious' and lethal knife attack as she pushed their son in his pram Masum – who was also found guilty of stalking, assault and threats to kill – wiped away tears in the dock. Despite two police forces being made aware of the threats Ms Akter had been receiving, a probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct found there had been no breach of professional standards. But campaigners said her brutal killing could have been prevented, saying the latest example of a woman murdered by her abusive partner once again underlined the need for change. 'Her death was preventable, and the loss of Kulsuma is a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of honour-based abuse and coercive control,' a spokesman for the Karma Nirvana charity said. 'We must do more to protect women like her.' Bradford West Labour MP Naz Shah said violence against women was 'a cancer that needs eradicating'. 'Kulsuma came to Bradford trying to find safety and her attacker found her,' she told the BBC. 'To keep women safe we need to change the culture of misogyny and domestic violence.' More than a year before murdering Ms Akter, Masum told a doctor he 'felt like he would kill her'. He stopped his wife from wearing make-up and would check her phone to see who she had been talking to, relatives said. Masum even stopped her drinking tea, because he didn't like the drink. Police officers in white forensics gear stand within a cordon at the scene of the stabbing in Bradford Her cousin Aftab Miah told the Mail that Ms Akter – the youngest of five siblings – was 'a lovely girl and had a great personality. She was always smiling and liked to make people laugh'. Her killing has left her grieving family in Bangladesh 'devastated' and struggling to comprehend how she had been taken from them in such brutal fashion halfway around the world. Masum will be sentenced next month.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Girlfriend of victim sent naked video of herself to ex and asked him to sleep with her days before he allegedly masterminded the torture and murder of 'love rival', court told
A drug dealer accused of 'masterminding' the torture and murder of his 'love rival' today claimed the victim's girlfriend sent him a video showing herself dancing naked and asking for sex. John Belfield, 31, said he responded by sending a screenshot of Demi-Lee Driver's clip to Thomas Campbell - but insisted he 'did not want any trouble'. Days later 38-year-old Mr Campbell's bloodied body was found bound in extra-strength duct tape and dressed in only a pair of socks in his own home. Prosecutors claim that Belfield was the 'driving force' behind the deadly ambush in July 2022, fuelled by jealousy over Ms Driver - with whom he has previously been in a relationship - and a desire to steal from the victim. He 'fled' the country after the killing and his 'right-hand' man was later convicted of murdering Mr Campbell. The dead man's ex-wife Coleen was found guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob after providing crucial details about his movements before the gang pounced, jurors have been told. Belfield himself was later extradited back from Suriname in South America and is now on trial for murder. Giving evidence in his defence today, the father-of-one said he had received the explicit video from Ms Driver. He also admitted swapping messages with Coleen Campbell - but said he found her 'good looking' and the exchange could 'potentially' have led to a sexual relationship. Belfield said he informed fellow drug dealer Mr Campbell about the video sent by Ms Driver because he wanted to be 'transparent' with him. 'It was not a good idea for me to get into conflict with Tom Campbell,' he added. 'Tom's a lot bigger and stronger than me.' Taking to the witness box at Manchester Crown Court, Belfield said before the killing he had earned around £2,000-a-week dealing cannabis and cocaine. Questioned by his barrister Richard Wright KC, he said he had known Mr Campbell for about ten years, saying he was 'higher up than me' in the drugs trade. 'I have never had any trouble with Tom Campbell in my life,' he insisted. Belfield insisted that his contact with Ms Campbell over Instagram in the run-up to the murder had nothing to do with a plan to rob her ex-husband or being 'jealous' about his relationship with Ms Driver. He found Ms Campbell 'good-looking' and felt there was a possibility they could have sex. Belfield said he wanted to speak to Mr Campbell 'because his ex-wife had added me on Instagram and about how his current partner was behaving'. 'It was just about Demi because a week before she was asking me on Facetime to go around and sleep with her,' he added. 'Demi had told me she was seeing him. 'I did not really care. It was irrelevant to me.' Belfield said he 'definitely' did not want to rekindle his relationship with Ms Driver, adding that the feeling was 'mutual'. 'I just wanted to tell Tom,' he added. 'I did not want any trouble with him. I just wanted to be transparent before anything came out about his ex-wife. 'His current partner was asking me to sleep with her and he could have an issue with that if I did. 'These woman were making him look a bit silly. 'I felt he thought I was trying to cause trouble but I was just telling him the truth.' He said he sent Mr Campbell the screen shot of Ms Driver dancing naked 'to prove I was not lying'. 'I was not trying to antagonise him. I thought I was doing the right thing. 'I was not jealous of him.' He said Mr Campbell was 'not happy' and told him not to speak to either woman. But Belfield said he immediately rang Coleen Campbell to tell her what her ex-husband had said. He denied being part of any plan to rob the victim of his drugs but admitted that Ms Campbell had told her the kind of places he kept his stash. 'I wanted to steal them with no comeback on me,' he said Belfield was asked by Mr Wright about messages he sent to Ms Driver days before the killing telling her 'You are mine' and 'You belong to me Demi-Lee for ever.' He said the string of crying/laughing face emojis in the messages meant he was being sarcastic and the thread was being 'twisted against me'. Belfield has admitted he took part in alleged 'recces' of Mr Campbell's home in Mossley, Greater Manchester before the killing and helping disguise the van used in the ambush afterwards. But he denies being part of the team which placed a tracking device on Mr Campbell's VW van, or being one of the men who bought items used in his torture. The court has heard the 'horrific' killing was the result of 'very careful planning by a team of highly organised criminals'. Jurors have been told that at a 2023 trial Belfield's 'right-hand man' Reece Steven was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob. Stephen Cleworth, from Heywood, who acted as a driver, was convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob. He was responsible for planting the tracker on Mr Campbell's vehicle and assisting with surveillance although he was not present during the murder. The prosecution case is that Steven, Belfield and a third unknown man were all present when Mr Campbell was tortured to death. Belfield, of no fixed address, denies murder and conspiracy to rob. The trial continues.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Jealous lawyer branded her estranged husband's new girlfriend 'scruffy' and 'trampy' and had him arrested over unfounded assault claims
A jealous lawyer hounded her estranged husband with derogatory Facebook messages and had him arrested after he began an affair with a younger woman. Susilla Mercer, 44, branded Gerard Flynn's South American girlfriend Shelina Kurz 'scruffy' and 'trampy', adding: 'Penthouse to s***house does not even cut it.' She also made unfounded allegations of assault against Mr Flynn which resulted in him being detained and quizzed by police, a court heard, only to be released without charge. In response, Mercer - who married her husband in 2020 in a lavish £60,000 wedding ceremony at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire - messaged him saying: 'I am sorry I got you arrested but I did not want to spend £200 to £300 an hour on a water tight divorce. 'The copper then took it out of my hands and I spent the time with two barristers trying to get you out to make sure that the CPS did not take it further.' She continued to berate his girlfriend on social media, cruelly branding her 'ugly'. Mercer also posted a picture of Ms Kurz with the caption: 'F*** me. Her forehead is so big you could draw a picture on it. 'She looks like she has just got out of bed.' In a statement Mr Flynn, who is believed to work in construction, said he suffered from constant anxiety which prevented him from leaving the house out of fear he would be arrested again. He said because of his large build and the fact he is male, he did not think anyone would believe him. Mr Flynn, 42, added: 'My mental health declined rapidly and my friend had to pick me otherwise I would not go to work. 'If it was not for the antidepressants I would not be where I am today.' In her own victim statement, Ms Kurz - who is in her 30s - said: 'It is not a nice feeling to hear bad things said about yourself online, especially when they do not know you. 'It made me believe that the constant messages and phone calls would never stop. 'It all affected my relationship with Gerard massively. 'It was always in the back of my mind if she would show up.' Mercer's Runcorn-based firm Mercer Law was shut down in 2023 following a probe into allegations of dishonesty by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. At Warrington magistrates court she was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail suspended for 12 months. Mercer had denied harassment of her husband and the racially aggravated harassment of Ms Kurz between January 2023 and July 2024. But she failed to attend her trial and was convicted in her absence. In the run-up to the hearing she posted pictures on Facebook of her wedding invitations with the caption: 'What a waste of £60,000. Cheating lying f****r.' When she attended her sentencing hearing, she said she was still 'technically' Flynn as her divorce 'had not gone through'. She was rebuked by JPs after laughing from the dock and saying: 'It is because he has an affair.' Kassem Noureddine, prosecuting, said Mr Flynn's account was that he and Mercer separated in 2022 'as a result of her alcoholism'. From the start of 2023 he began receiving 'rambling voice notes' from her, Mr Noureddine said. Following his arrest, Mercer made 'derogatory comments' about him and his new partner, he added. In mitigation Sarah Bailey said her client's conduct followed an 'acrimonious divorce' and a 'new partner' being introduced. There are also 'concerns about her mental health', she added. Mercer continued to claim Mr Flynn had assaulted her 'but there was not enough evidence to convict and she is quite upset that nothing was done about that,' she added. 'She is here for what she says is just a couple of Facebook messages.' Mercer was also banned from contacting the couple for 12 months under the terms of a restraining order and ordered to pay £804 in costs and a victim surcharge.
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Daily Mail
'You money grabbing little dog' - 'Jealous' drug dealer's messages to his ex-girlfriend are heard in court as he is accused of brutal murder of 'love rival' who was 'tortured to death' in his own home
A 'jealous' drug dealer accused of masterminding the brutal torture and killing of his alleged love rival branded his ex-girlfriend a 'money-grabbing little dog', a court heard today. John Belfield, 31, allegedly plotted the murder of Thomas Campbell out of 'hostility' because the victim had begun dating his ex-partner, as well as to steal from him. The 38-year-old's bloodied body was found bound in extra-strength duct tape and dressed in only a pair of socks in his own home in July 2022. In the run-up to the killing, Belfield was given crucial details about the intended victim's movements by Campbell's ex-wife Coleen, a jury has heard. She was later found guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob. Today Manchester Crown Court heard of threatening messages that Belfield sent to his ex-girlfriend Demi-Lee Driver, who had begun a relationship with Campbell. In one he wrote: 'You and that helmet will get domed. 'Shut your mouth you dog.' Another read: 'There's not a thing you or him will do so. I think you should get my draws out your house Monday.' Belfield added: 'And I'm going to shag his baby mum now for the point of it, you money grabbing little dog.' Ms Driver refused to give police access to her mobile phone but shared screenshots of the Instagram messages, jurors were told. Giving evidence in his defence today, Belfield admitted being a drug dealer but claimed he had been at his sister's home on the night of the killing. His barrister Richard Wright KC asked him: 'Do you understand that the prosecution allege that, together with his ex-wife Coleen Campbell, you had personal motivation to attack Thomas Campbell because he was in a relationship with your ex partner Demi-Lee Driver? 'You were annoyed or jealous of that relationship?' Belfield replied: 'I understand that.' Mr Wright asked: 'Did you conspire with Coleen Campbell and others to target Mr Campbell as a victim for robbery in his own home?' The 38-year-old, pictured with Coleen on holiday, was discovered by shocked neighbours 'No,' Belfield replied. Mr Wright asked: 'Were you motivated by jealousy or anger to attack Mr Campbell because he was in a relationship with Demi-Lee Driver?' Belfield anwered: 'No.' Belfield admitted that he had planned to to target Mr Campbell at some point in order to steal his drugs and admitted that he himself was a drug dealer. He denied being part of the team which placed a tracking device on Mr Campbell's VW van five days before the murder and said he did not know it had been put there. Belfield admitted he had taken part in alleged 'recces' of Mr Campbell's home in Mossley, Greater Manchester. But he denied that he had been one of the men who bought items used in the torture of Mr Campbell from a B&Q store in Oldham four days before the killing. Mr Wright asked him if he was with Reece Steven - who has been convicted of Mr Campbell's murder - when he was attacked and killed. He replied: 'No. I was at my sister's house with my niece and nephew.' Belfield admitted that he had taken part in efforts to disguise the van used in the attack but said he had done so 'to help my friends'. He also agreed that he had fled the country after the murder, travelling to the former Dutch colony of Suriname in South America. But he said: 'I was scared his friend were going to attack me and kill me because of the rumours they had heard.' The court has heard the 'horrific' killing was the result of 'very careful planning by a team of highly organised criminals' who used a tracking device placed on Mr Campbell's car and carried out reconnaissance on his home in the days before the assault. Jurors have been told that at a 2023 trial Reece Steven was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob. Stephen Cleworth, from Heywood, who acted as a driver, was convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob. He was responsible for planting the tracker on Mr Campbell's vehicle and assisting with surveillance although he was not present during the murder. Belfield - alleged to have been the 'driving force' behind the killing - is now standing trial for the murder after being extradited back from South America. The prosecution case is that Steven, Belfield and a third unknown man were all present when Mr Campbell was tortured to death. Belfield, of no fixed address, denies murder and conspiracy to rob. The trial continues.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Knife-obsessed schoolboy, 16, who stabbed 15-year-old love rival and left him to die in the street as public 'walked on by' is jailed for seven years
A knife-obsessed schoolboy who stabbed his 15-year-old love rival in the heart and left him to die on the pavement has been jailed for seven years. Pharrell Garcia was attacked with his own pocket knife in a park near Stellman Close in Stoke Newington, north London, at around 4pm on July 23 last year. The 16-year-old killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claimed Pharrell was armed with the 'multi-tool' knife and he acted in self-defence. He said: 'I had no intention to kill him or do serious harm - only to save my own life.' The boy, from east London, had a previous conviction for possession of a machete. He was cleared of murder and convicted of manslaughter. The two teenagers had known each other since they were very young and the attack may have been motivated by jealousy as they were both messaging the same girl, the Old Bailey heard. They had not met the girl in person but exchanged thousands of messages with her and on the day of the stabbing had told her they planned to fight. Pharrell had said he was going to 'smoke' the 16-year-old saying he was 'just a nerd', the court heard. Following Pharell's death, the police information, which led them to make an arrest enquiry at the defendant's address. He was not home. Detectives soon tracked him down to a family friend's house, where he stayed following the manslaughter, and he was arrested at 5:07am on Wednesday, July 24. Officers analysed the defendant's mobile phone which showed communication of Snapchat between the pair in the days leading up to the manslaughter, as well as 43 videos and photos of the defendant playing with knives only a week before the killing on Tuesday, 16 and Wednesday, 17 July. He had also messaged his mother following the attack saying he could not come home, to remove certain items from their home and asking to go to Portugal. The 16-year-old was jailed today for seven years with an extended five year license period as the judge found him to be dangerous. Judge Philip Katz, KC, said: 'Pharrell Garcia was a child of 15 when he was stabbed to the heart in broad daylight in a residential area in Hackney. 'He managed to run a short distance before collapsing and dying on the pavement. 'Pharrell's family and friends and all those who knew and cared for him are utterly devastated. That Pharrell died in public in such shocking circumstances is a terrible tragedy. 'That Pharrell was killed by another child of 15 is another tragedy. 'You were fascinated with guns and knives. Your use of social media was totally out of control. 'I am sure you took a knife to the fight even if you did not use it. 'When two individuals go out to fight each other neither can realistically claim to have acted in necessary self defence.' The teenager is due to be sentenced for a separate offence of robbery and possession of a knife committed in 2023. He denied murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter. The jury could not reach a verdict on the murder count but convicted the 16-year-old of manslaughter. The prosecution decided not to pursue a retrial on murder and the judge entered a not guilty verdict today. A probation report said the teen 'glorifies violence and has enthusiasm for knives'. Defence barrister Beth O'Reilly, KC, said the teenager's father was in prison as he grew up and his mother struggled with her mental health. She said his behaviour with knives was immature but he never intended to use them for violence.' The barrister added the teenager and his mother will move abroad after his prison sentence to be with extended family. She said: 'In certain areas of London there are difficult problems, he needs to be able to have the tools to leave that environment and start afresh. 'He needs to start a new life, a new life where he is not exploited by older, more experienced criminals, and break the line of criminality.' Prosecutor Mark Fenhalls, KC, earlier told jurors: 'You will immediately appreciate that the death of a child is a deeply traumatic event with devastating consequences for those involved. 'The needless death of teenage boys on our streets because of knife crime troubles us all. 'Knife crime in London is all too prevalent, you will know about reports you have heard, read or seen on television. 'It's a tragedy and we wish it did not exist. But it does. In this case the defendant admits stabbing Pharrell Garcia. He says he did so in self-defence. The prosecution rejects this as a self-serving lie. 'The defendant used a knife that Pharrell had been carrying. It was a pocket knife. 'In circumstances only the defendant knows he came into possession of the knife and stabbed him in the heart.' The prosecutor added Pharrell and the defendant had been messaging the same girl before the incident. 'You may end up concluding that jealously had something to do with what the defendant did that afternoon,' he said. He added there had been an argument in the days before the stabbing. Jurors were shown CCTV of Pharrell and the defendant arriving at the park together. Footage also showed members of the public walking past Pharrell after he had been stabbed. Mr Fenhalls said: 'There are always good Samaritans but there are sadly other people who would walk on by. 'Whatever you think of those who walk on by it doesn't matter. 'You will see sometimes the best of people sometimes the worst. 'Some members of the of public did seek to assist, medics attended and they did everything they could.' The girl the two boys were messaging told police she had heard Pharrell threatening to beat the defendant up. She said the defendant called her and said 'I'm fighting Pharell today.' In a prepared statement given to police the defendant said: 'I knew the victim from school and we used to be friends but fell out and he had always harboured a grudge towards me. 'He was obsessed with gangs and knives and I have video footage on my phone of him threatening 'to shank me'. 'He approached me on Tuesday and told me, again, he had a problem with me. 'He pulled a knife out of his sock and went to attack me. I was scared for my life and acted instinctively to defend myself.' Following the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, said: 'Our thoughts very much remain with Pharell's family and friends, who had to re-live the last traumatic moments of his young life during the trial after the defendant failed to take responsibility for his actions. 'Somehow the defendant came to be in possession of a multi-tool, which he claimed in court was carried to the scene by the victim. 'The evidence we gathered disputed the defendant's account that he grabbed the multi-tool and delivered a fatal blow to save his life. 'When the defendant became in possession of that weapon he had a choice. He could have walked away, he could've thrown the multi-tool to the floor. 'Instead, he chose to stab Pharell in the heart and then chased him, still armed with the knife, until he saw the victim collapse from his fatal injuries. Instead of rushing over to help his former friend, he fled the scene and tried to dispose of the evidence.' Detective Superintendent Brittany Clarke, who leads policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, added: 'Pharell's death was first and foremost a devastating tragedy for his family and friends, but it also had considerable impact across our local communities. 'While overall violence has been reducing in Hackney, tragic events such as this serve as a reminder that too many of our children and young people have to contend with the callous reality of knife crime. 'We continue to work night and day, with the council, local charities and wider partners to address both the root causes of knife crime and to deter people from carrying knives through police action. 'If any young person feels they need to carry a knife please speak to a parent, carer, teacher, youth leader or adult you trust and we can get you the support to step back from that decision safely.'
