A former Bolton police officer and prison guard has confessed to a string of crimes including conspiracy to commit burglary and money laundering.

Stephanie Heaps, 30, was brought before Bolton Crown Court accused of abusing her positions while in a relationship with prisoner Leon Craig Ramsden, also known as Layten Ramsden.

Her crimes also include passing along sensitive police information and conspiring with several other defendents.

Six other defendants faced charges too.

Judge Tom Gilbart said: “A number of defendants have pleaded guilty, and they will of course be given credit for those guilty pleas.

“They will be sentenced after the conclusion of the trial.”

He added: “That is of course no indication as to what the sentence will be, that will be a matter for the court at the time.”

Lisa Hancox, prosecuting, put the case against Heaps and her co-defendants, who have all been charged with a string of offences.

Heaps, of Honister Grove in Runcorn, admitted that she had been in a relationship with Ramsden while he was a prisoner at HMP Wymott in Wigan.

Between July 2019 and March 2020 while serving with the police she shared sensitive police documents and strategies with Ramsden and passed along details about colleagues to him.

During this time she failed to report her associates’ criminal activities to her superior officers.

The ex-officer also admitted that she took part in illegal mobile phone conversations with Ramsden while he was a prisoner and that she had conspired to burgle a home in Wigan and to conspiring to illegally launder money.

She also admitted that while serving as a prison officer between March 2018 and July 2019 she had abused her position by maintaining a relationship with Ramsden and passing confidential details about a colleague to him.

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Laura Nash, defending Heaps, argued that her client would be entitled to credit for her guilty plea when the court eventually comes to sentence her.

She will learn her fate after the trial of some of her co-defendants concludes next year.

The trial is set to begin on August 7, 2023.

Greater Manchester Police say they will begin misconduct proceedings against Stephanie Heaps after criminal proceedings conclude.