A former police and prison officer who was in an undisclosed relationship with a man serving a life sentence for murder has been jailed.
Stephanie Heaps, now known as Stephanie Ramsden, who was formerly a from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer based in Bolton, did not declare that she was in an intimate relationship with Leon ‘Layton’ Ramsden – who is on a life sentence for murder – while she worked in her previous role at HMP Wymott in Leyland.
The 32-year-old Heaps 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 GMP’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) – which began in September 2019, under supervision of the Independent Office of Police Conduct – not only revealed Heaps’ levels of deceit in getting a job in the police service, but also found her links to an organised crime group associated to Ramsden, which was involved in money laundering, drug dealing, and a conspiracy to burgle an address in St Helens in November 2019.
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DCI Adams said: “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."
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 4, 2024
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.
Heaps was arrested in January 2020, and detectives then probed her with the mount of evidence that they had compiled, but according to GMP, she gave a ‘no comment’ interview.
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Only weeks later, she resigned from the force.
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 offences such as misconduct in a public office, as both a police officer and a prison officer, intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence after conducting telephone conversations with Ramsden through illegal mobile phones, and conspiracy to commit burglary.
Close to the entrance of H.M.P Wymott, where Heaps worked as a prison officer / Credit: Google Maps
She also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer, conceal, and convert criminal property regarding the money laundering of Ramsden’s drugs money.
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At an accelerated misconduct hearing in October 2023, Heaps was barred from policing, and then, at Bolton Crown Court today last Thursday (4 July), she was sentenced to serve four years and three months behind bars.
Ramsden, now of HMP Berwyn, was sentenced to five years and seven months, to run concurrently with his current sentence.
Featured Image – GMP
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No trams to run on three major Greater Manchester lines this Easter bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
People are being urged to ‘plan ahead’ as no trams are set to run on three major Greater Manchester Metrolink lines this weekend.
As part of a continuing £150 million investment in the Metrolink network across the region, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced that more than 1km of track will be replaced on the Altrincham line, and work will also take place between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield to prepare for full track replacement later in the year.
As a result, there will be no trams on the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Park lines this Easter bank holiday weekend all day from Friday 3 to Monday 6 April.
On top of these line closures, there is also set to be disruption across other parts of the network too, as on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines, trams will run to Firswood only, and services on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.
To keep people moving over the four-day weekend, replacement buses will run between all the affected stops, TfGM has confirmed.
Anyone using a replacement bus, however, will still need a valid Metrolink ticket or a one-day Bee bus ticket to travel, and customers will be able to use all existing options to buy these, as they will not be able to buy a ticket or pay for the fare on the replacement buses themselves.
No trams will be running on three major Greater Manchester lines this Easter bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM
Replacement buses are said to be calling at ‘all affected stops’ along the lines, so customers are being told not to worry about that.
Speaking ahead of the improvement works being carried out this weekend, Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, said: “The first main upgrades of the year get under way over the Easter weekend, as our £150m programme to improve our network continues.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to minimise disruption to passengers while we carry out this essential work to ensure our tram network remains reliable, resilient and safe for years to come.”
TfGM has assured that staff will be out and on-hand across the network this weekend, but is urging anyone travelling to plan for their journeys ahead of time to make sure they go as smoothly as possible.
Looking ahead to the rest of the month, no trams will run between Piccadilly Gardens and Ashton-under-Lyne on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 April while the track is repaired, and a further weekend closure for track repairs on the Ashton line will take place on Saturday 25 April and Sunday 26 April.
Find out more and plan ahead on the Bee Network’s dedicated webpage here.
Featured Image – Janus Boye
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Three men arrested after ‘shocking’ Salford pub fight leaves victim in life-threatening condition
Emily Sergeant
Three men have been arrested as police continue to appeal following a ‘shocking’ incident in Salford over the weekend.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that, at around 2:51am yesterday (Sunday 29 March), officers were called to reports of an assault at a pub on Liverpool Road in Irlam, where it’s understood that an incident involving several males took place.
Police quickly attended the scene, and one male was rushed to hospital.
The man sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment, where he’s said to remain in a life-threatening condition.
While officers are working ‘at speed’ on their investigation to establish the full circumstances of this incident, a scene is currently in place, and road closures are affecting the immediate area.
At this time, it has been confirmed that three men – all in their 20s – have been arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault, and they remain in custody for further questioning while GMP renews its public appeal for information.
“This is a shocking incident and our thoughts are firmly with the victim and his family during this extremely difficult time,” commented Detective Chief Inspector Helen Bagnall, from GMP’s Salford district. “We are working at pace and remain absolutely committed to identifying everyone involved and bringing those responsible to justice.
“Three arrests have been made in connection with this incident, and we are continuing to appeal for further information.
“Officers remain committed to understand the full circumstances and are urging anyone with information to come forward to support our investigation.”
Can you help? A dedicated online Major Incident Public Portal has been set up, and information, CCTV, dashcam, doorbell, and phone images and footage can be submitted here, or you can also contact police on 101, quoting log 256 of 29/03/26.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Emily Sergeant -
8th July 2024 
