Prison officer who MARRIED convicted murderer inmate is jailed after she helped run his drug smuggling operation
A PRISON officer who married a killer lag has been jailed after she helped run his secret drug smuggling operation.
Stephanie Heaps, 32, was seen “kissing and cuddling” Leon – aka Layten – Ramsden while he was locked up at HMP Ranby.
The prison officer also had sex with the killer, who knifed a man to death in a pub, “at least twice” and was in contact with him almost daily.
As their relationship heated up, Heaps passed on sensitive information to her lag lover while he ran a drug-dealing operation.
The former RAF cadet, who joined the police so she could continue the fling, then helped launder the profits from the criminal activity.
Heaps has now been jailed for four years and three months after admitting two counts of misconduct in public office.
Ramsden, who kissed his wife in the dock, was sentenced to five years and seven months.
Bolton Crown Court heard the pair, who are now married, first got together after Heaps took a job at the Nottingham jail in March 2018.
Ramsden was caged for life with a minimum of 17 years in 2010 for the “unprovoked” murder of Paul Gilligan, 31, at a packed Bolton pub.
Heaps left in July 2019 to join Greater Manchester Police but failed to mention her relationship with the killer.
The couple exchanged messages and phonecalls to tell each other “I love you” on almost a daily basis.
During one exchange, Ramsden asked Heaps if it was all worth it, causing her to reply: “A billion per cent”.
She also gushed in another call: “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.”
She would warn her boyfriend about upcoming cell searches and took part in laundering money from his drug empire.
Along with a gang of associates, “account manager” Heaps would move the cash through multiple bank accounts.
Ramsden then used his ill-gotten gains to lavish Heaps with extravagant gifts – including an Apple iWatch worth £495 and cash for a trip to Iceland.
In total, the inmate made £12,700 from his drug dealing – with £3,000 passed on to his prison officer girlfriend.
While working for the force, Heaps shared “police intelligence” with Ramsden – including divulging when an associate’s name had come up.
She also met up with one of lag lover’s prison visitors – a man wanted over a “high risk” domestic abuse incident – bit failed to notify her superiors.
Abuse of power
The cop would tell Ramsden how to hide his mobile phone in his cell and passed on personal details about prison officers.
She also told her inmate boyfriend about an ex of hers who she believed was a drug dealer because he might have cash in his home.
Ramsden then dispatched his deputy Philip Markland and subordinate Thomas Barrass to burgle his home.
The pair smashed a window but nothing was taken in the raid – despite Heaps believing there would be £60,000 inside.
Her crimes came to light in January 2020 when Ramsden’s cell was searched and officers found his phone.
As well as misconduct, she also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to launder money and encouraging or assisting the commission of an either way offence.
Ramsden admitted two counts of unauthorised use of a mobile phone in prison, money laundering and being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs.
His dad Lee admitted conspiracy to launder money alongside Clifford McCarthy and Joanne Campbell.
Barrass and Markland both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary.
