A prison guard turned police officer and former cadet helped a convict, she has since married, organise money laundering and a burglary from his jail cell. Stephanie Heaps, 32, worked first as a prison officer from March 2018 to July 2019 and then as a police officer in the Bolton district up to her arrest and resignation in early 2020. Bolton Crown Court heard how during that time she committed a range of crimes alongside her prisoner partner Leon Ramsden, 35 also known as Leyton, who was jailed for 17 years in 2010.
Prosecutor Lisa Hancox said: “During her employment as a prison officer Ms Heaps commenced and continued a relationship with Leon Ramsden.” She added: “Their relationship extended to when she left the prison service in July 2019 and became a police officer days later.” Ms Hancox told the court how while in prison Ramsden had access to a mobile phone, which he used to message Heaps.
When she joined Greater Manchester Police, Heaps specifically asked to be based in the Bolton area, to be near Ramsden’s family. Stephanie Heaps served first as a prison officer and then as a police officer (Image: Public) In turn, Ramsden asked to be transferred from HMP Wymott to HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire. In a call to Ramsden in January 2020, Heaps said: “I chose to buy a house close to you, I chose that.
“I chose Bolton as my police force because I wanted to be near your home, I chose, you didn’t tell me.” Ramsden continued to call Heaps when she was on duty a.
