Prison officer who married convicted murderer in jail helped him run drugs ring

A former police officer who married a murderer has been jailed for helping him smuggle drugs into jail.

Stephanie Heaps, 32, has been jailed for four years after she helped Leon ‘Layton’ Ramsden while he was serving a life sentence at HMP Wymott.

The pair first got together in March 2018 after Heaps took a job as a prison officer in the jail where he was serving a minimum 17-year sentence for killing Paul Gilligan, 31, at a pub in Bolton.

She would warn him about upcoming cell searches and, with a gang of associates, helped launder money from his £12,700 drug empire, with £3,000 passed on to Heaps.

She then joined Greater Manchester Police as a PC in July 2019 and failed to declare her links to Ramsden.

Heaps even failed to arrest a wanted domestic abuse suspect as they were an associate of Ramsden’s, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Officers only uncovered the pair’s relationship after a tip off in September 2019.

Heaps visited Ramsden in prison regularly, and shared sensitive police information with on illegal phones.

She was arrested in January 2020 and in October 2022 pleaded guilty to a number of offences, including misconduct in a public office as a police officer and a prison officer, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property.

Ramsden was sentenced to five years and seven months, to run concurrently with his murder sentence.

Detective Chief Inspector Jennifer Adams, of GMP’s Anti-Corruption Unit, said: ‘During our investigation, we were shocked by the actions of Stephanie Heaps and her brazen disregard for the standards required for both her roles in the police and the prison service.

‘As soon as we were made aware of Heaps’ potential relationship with Ramsden, we conducted a number of detailed enquiries to ensure that the maximum amount of evidence about her offending could be collated so she could be held accountable for the full extent of her crimes.

‘It’s clear Heaps should never be trusted to serve the public, and it is testament to the investigation team that she was only in uniform for a matter of months before she was taken away from frontline duties for good and now put rightly behind bars along with Ramsden and his associates.’

Prosecutor Alan Richardson said: ‘Stephanie Heaps was in a position of trust both as a prison officer and later a police officer. She knew that her actions created a serious conflict of interest and entirely compromised the trusted positions she held.

‘The CPS worked hard with Greater Manchester Police to build a strong case. The strength of the evidence was such that Heaps had no option but accepts her guilt. Heaps will now face the consequences of her actions.’

Four others from Bolton have also been sentenced in connection with the case. Philip Markland, 40, of Bardon Close, was sentenced to 22 months for conspiracy to commit burglary at an address in St Helens.

Lee Ramsden, 52, of Bleak Street, was sentenced to 15 months, suspended for 18 months; 25 rehabilitation days; and a six-month home detention curfew between 7pm and 6am, for conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property.

Clifford McCarthy, 35, of Larkfield Grove, was sentenced to 15 months suspended for two years; 200 hours community service; and 10 rehabilitation days for conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property.

Joanne Campbell, 48, of Gisburn Avenue, was sentenced to 13 months suspended for 18 months; 25 rehabilitation days; and referred to support services for conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property.

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