Prison officer who married convicted murderer in prison helped him run drug gang

A former policewoman who married a murderer has been convicted of helping to smuggle drugs into prison.

Stephanie Heaps, 32, was sentenced to four years in prison for helping Leon ‘Layton’ Ramsden while he was serving a life sentence at HMP Wymott.

The couple met in March 2018 after Heaps took up a job as a prison guard at the prison where he was serving a minimum 17-year sentence for the murder of 31-year-old Paul Gilligan in a Bolton pub.

She warned him of impending cell searches and, with a gang of associates, helped launder money from his drugs empire worth £12,700, £3,000 of which was passed on to Heaps.

In July 2019, she joined Greater Manchester Police as a constable, but did not disclose her links with Ramsden.

Bolton Crown Court heard that Heaps did not even arrest a wanted domestic violence suspect because he was an accomplice of Ramsden.

The police discovered the couple’s relationship only after receiving a tip-off in September 2019.

Heaps regularly visited Ramsden in prison and passed confidential information to police using 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 prison officer, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert property derived from crime.

Ramsden was sentenced to five years and seven months’ imprisonment, to be served concurrently with the 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 blatant disregard for the standards required of both the police and prison service.

“As soon as we became aware of Heaps’ potential link to Ramsden, we carried out a number of detailed enquiries to ensure that the maximum amount of evidence was gathered relating to her offending and that she could be held to account for the full scope of her offences.

“It is clear that Heaps should never have been considered a member of the public. The investigation team has established that she wore the uniform for just a few months before she was permanently removed from frontline duties and is now rightly behind bars alongside Ramsden and his associates.”

Prosecutor Alan Richardson said: “Stephanie Heaps held a position of trust both as a prison officer and later as a police officer. She knew that her actions created a serious conflict of interest and completely breached the positions of trust 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 plead guilty. Heaps will now have to face the consequences of her actions.’

Four others from Bolton were also 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 in prison, suspended for 18 months; 25 rehabilitation activity days; and six months’ home detention between 7pm and 6am for conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert property derived from crime.

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

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

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