Former PC who married killer jailed for crime links

The couple edited a wedding photo using artificial intelligence and posted it on social media, police said

A former police officer who married a convicted murderer and led a secret life of offending has been jailed for her role in her husband's organised crime gang.

Stephanie Heaps - now Ramsden - joined Greater Manchester Police (GMP) as a constable in Bolton in July 2019, when she was already embroiled in criminal activity.

Her husband Leon Ramsden was involved in money laundering, drug dealing, and a conspiracy to burgle an address in St Helens, Merseyside, in November that year.

Heaps, 32, of Runcorn, Cheshire, admitted offences including conspiracy to commit burglary and was jailed for four years and three months at Bolton Crown Court.

Stephanie Heaps did not declare she was in a relationship with killer Leon Ramsden

GMP said Heaps did not declare she was in a relationship with Ramsden, who is serving a life sentence for murder, when she worked as a prison officer in Lancashire from March 2018 - before later joining the force and also failing to do so.

But GMP's anti-corruption unit was tipped off about her links to Ramsden and began investigating her in September 2019.

It uncovered evidence of Heaps often visiting Ramsden in prison, contacting him via illicit phones he had in his cell and sharing sensitive police information with him.

On one occasion while on duty, Heaps also failed to arrest a wanted domestic abuse suspect while responding to an incident, due to the suspect being an associate of her husband.

She was arrested in January 2020 and resigned from the police weeks later.

In October 2022 she pleaded guilty to offences including conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property regarding the money laundering of Ramsden’s drugs money.

She also admitted misconduct in a public office.

CCTV footage showing Heaps outside prison while visiting her husband

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

Ramsden, already behind bars, has been sentenced to five years and seven months, to run concurrently with his current sentence.

Det Ch Insp Jennifer Adams 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.

“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.”

Alan Richardson, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Stephanie Heaps knew her actions created a serious conflict of interest and entirely compromised the trusted positions she held.

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

Leon Ramsden was involved in money laundering, drug dealing, and a conspiracy to burgle an address in St Helens, Merseyside

Four other people, all from Bolton, were also sentenced.

Philip Markland, 40, of Bardon Close, was jailed for 22 months for conspiracy to commit burglary.

Lee Ramsden, 52, of Bleak Street, was sentenced to 15 months, suspended for 18 months, for conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property.

Clifford McCarthy, 35, of Larkfield Grove, was sentenced to 15 months, suspended for two years, for conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property.

Joanne Campbell, 48, of Gisburn Avenue, was handed a term of 13 months, suspended for 18 months, for conspiracy to transfer, conceal and convert criminal property.