Former HMP Wymott prison guard turned police officer jailed after secret relationship with murderer uncovered

Stephanie Heaps – now known as Stephanie Ramsden – did not declare that she was in an intimate relationship with Leon ‘Layton’ Ramsden (35) – who is on a life sentence for murder – while she worked in her previous role at HMP Wymott in Leyland.

The 32-year-old had worked as a prison officer since March 2018, before pursuing a career in the police and joining GMP as a PC based in Bolton in July 2019

During this time, she did not declare any links to criminals or criminal activity.

An investigation carried out by Greater Manchester Police’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) - which began in September 2019, under supervision of the Independent Office of Police Conduct – revealed Heaps’ levels of deceit in getting a job in the police service.

It also uncovered her links to an organised crime group associated with Ramsden, which was involved in money laundering, drug dealing, and a conspiracy to burgle an address in St Helens in November 2019.

After four months of what GMP called “tireless investigative work”, sufficient evidence to prove Heaps often visited Leon Ramsden in prison was uncovered, as it was found that she had been contacting him via illicit phones he had in his cell, and even shared sensitive police information with him.

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Heaps was arrested in January 2020, and detectives then questioned her with the amount of evidence that they had compiled.

She gave a ‘no comment’ interview and weeks later resigned from the force, according to GMP.

Heaps later married Ramsden early last year during a prison visit, with the pair posting a bizarre AI-generated picture online showing them tying the knot.

GMP worked with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the prison service to produce a “compelling case” that led to Heaps pleading guilty in October 2022 to the following offences:

• Misconduct in a public office as a police officer at GMP
• Misconduct in a public office as a prison officer at HMP Wymott
• Intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence after conducting telephone conversations with Ramsden through illegal mobile phones.
• Conspiracy to commit burglary after a burglary in St Helens.
• Conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property regarding the money laundering of Ramsden’s drugs money.

Heaps was sentenced to serve four years and three months behind bars at Bolton Crown Court on July 4.

She was also barred from policing at an accelerated misconduct hearing in October 2023.

Ramsden, of HMP Berwyn, was sentenced to five years and seven months, to run concurrently with his current sentence.

Det 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.”

Alan Richardson, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, added: “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 to accept her guilt.  

“Heaps will now face the consequences of her actions.”