Jess Payne was a social worker who visited single father Marlon Dingle in March 2016 after neighbour Emma Barton reported that she found bruises on his daughter April Windsor's arm. Marlon insisted he wasn't responsible for the brusies, and sent Jess in the direction of April's babysitter Carly Hope. Jess visited Carly at Tug Ghyll and talked to her as well. It was later revealed that Marlon's young son Leo Goskirk was responsible for the bruises.