Gary Belfield's teenage killers named and pictured as they are locked up for at least 72 years

Pictures side by side of Leandro Lopes, Jordan Tams and Kriesha Stroud
-Credit:Northumbria Police


Teenage killers who savagely killed a dad in his own home can today be named as they were locked up for at least 72 years.

Kriesha Stroud was just 15 when she recruited boyfriend Jordan Tams, 17, and Leandro Lopes, then 17 and now 18, to attack Gary Belfield and his son, Luke Williams, in a "senseless" attack in their home in Gateshead. ChronicleLive successfully applied for reporting restrictions which had previously prevented the publication of the names of Stroud and Tams, due to their age, to be lifted by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.

After organising the fatal attack at the father and son's home in Felling, Gateshead, Stroud was later covertly recorded as saying she was "glad" Mr Belfield died and "disappointed" his son had survived. Now Stroud, of Eastcote Terrace, Walker, Newcastle, Tams, of Wesley Court, Felling, Gateshead and Lopes, of Archer Street, Wallsend, have all been detained at His Majesty's pleasure, which is effectively a life sentence for youths. Tams and Lopes must serve at least 26 years which Stroud has to do 20 years.

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Mr Justice Constable said the “dreadful attack” was “shocking not just for its brutality and senselessness but because it was encouraged and carried out by three who were at the time children”.

In a victim impact statement, Luke said: “I feel like what happened that night is senseless. They didn’t ask for anything but I sensed they had purpose. To me these three people are vile human beings.

“Seeing them laughing and joking pre and post court sessions tell me they have no remorse. A lot has been made of them being children. Those children stole my best friend and changed our lives as a family forever.”

Prosecutor Michael Bunch says there is clear evidence Stroud “recruited” the male defendants and that they went to the scene as a “team”. Mr Bunch said: “In a covert recording, she (Stroud) said she was glad Gary Belfield was dead and expressed her disappointment Luke Williams was not.”

Gary Belfield
Gary Belfield -Credit:Northumbria Police

It was just after 9pm on April 27 this year that a member of the public contacted the emergency services to report a stabbing after Mr Williams staggered towards his garage shouting: "Help me, they are going to get me".

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He had suffered stab wounds to his elbow, shoulder, lower back and had sharp force injuries to his hands. Mr Williams told the man he had just ran from his home, nearby, in Elliott Drive, Felling, after being attacked there and said he was concerned about his dad, who was still inside.

When police went there, they found Mr Belfield lying in the living room slumped on the sofa. He was covered in blood, unresponsive, pale and not breathing, the court heard. He had suffered multiple stab wounds to his upper and lower back, face, head, thigh, the sole of his foot and arms.

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The stab wounds to his back had damaged his ribs, lung and liver, while a major artery and vein in his leg were damaged. He also had bruising to both eyes and his forehead. Despite the best efforts of the police and then paramedics, the 40-year-old died at the scene.

The judge said Lopes had stabbed him to the thigh with a screwdriver and Tams to the back with a knife. A month before the attack Tams had said: “I’m getting that f****** mad I want to f****** kill someone”.

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Stroud had no previous convictions at the time of the murder. Lopes had a caution for assault which happened in January last year. He was also sentenced for separate charges of robbery, assault and fraud today. Tams has a previous conviction for having a bladed article from January last year.

Francis FitzGibbon KC, for Stroud, said: “This is a girl who has been abandoned, let down, abused and exploited by adults almost throughout her life. She said she did not have a childhood.”

He added that she has PTSD, used cannabis from the age of eight and continues to deny actively encouraging or assisting Lopes and Tams.

Mr FitzGibbon said: “Her role must be distinguished from the two males who go in the house with knives and set about the victims with extraordinary violence. There’s no evidence she intended that amount of violence to be inflicted. She was not there.”

He said it may be the attack arose from a “misguided desire for revenge” for something she believed had happened to her sister.

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Toby Hedworth KC, for Lopes, said of the killers: “They are all, for better or for worse, damaged goods.”

Mark McKone KC, for Tams, said: “The main mitigation I rely upon is Jordan’s young age. His emotional maturity is consistent with someone younger than 17. He does not have the maturity of a usual 17-year-old.

“Sadly through no fault of his own, Jordan has been witness to a lot of violence as a child. His social services record makes absolutely tragic reading.”