Two young correctional officers at Buckley Hall Prison have been sentenced to prison for misconduct in public office . Jai Gascoyne and Elle Walton engaged in illicit relationships with inmates who were leading a major drug operation, facilitating the movement of money and contraband.
16 and 13 months for Buckley Hall's compromised staff
Recorder Ben Lawrence has handed down prison sentences of 16 months to Jai Gascoyne, 25, and 13 months to Elle Walton, 27, following their misconduct at Buckley Hall Prison near Rochdale. According to the report, the court determined that the officers' actions were not merely personal lapses in judgment but direct threats to the safety and security of the entire correctional institution.
The sentencing reflects the judiciary's stance on maintaining the boundary between staff and prisooners. Recorder Ben Lawrence emphasized that these penalties are intended to serve as a deterrent for other young staff members who might be tempted to enter similar prohibited relationships. The court noted that Jai Gascoyne's culpability was higher because her illicit involvement extended to three different prisoners.
The multimillion-pound drug ring led by the Nawaz brothers
The inmates involved in these affairs, Dil Nawaz, 30, and Haq Nawaz, 32, are not low-level offenders; they are serving long sentences for leading an organized crime gang. As the report says, the Nawaz brothers orchestrated a multimillion-pound drug trafficking operation that spanned the country, making their ability to manipulate staff a significant security risk.
This case mirrors a recurring challenge in high-security environments where sophisticated organized crime figures use grooming techniques to compromise junior staff. By establishing emotional bonds with officers like Jai Gascoyne and Elle Walton, the Nawaz brothers were able to maintain a level of influence and access to resources—including the transfer of funds and personal items—that should be impossible for inmates in a custodial setting.
Arabic script jewelry and hundreds of messages
The evidence presented at Manchester Crown Court revealed a detailed pattern of grooming and illicit exchange. During a behavior detection operation, Jai Gascoyne was found in possession of two necklaces,one featuring the letter D and another with Arabic script. While Gascoyne claimed the letter represented her father, the court concluded the Arabic script was an Islamic prayer for protection, likely linked to her relationship with Dil Nawaz.
Further investigations uncovered that Jai Gascoyne had used the internet to order pendans and bracelets, and investigators recovered hundreds of messages exchanged between her and Dil Nawaz. Similarly, Elle Walton maintained a relationship with Haq Nawaz; although the court heard her relationship was not physical,the evidence of affectionate messages and shared gifts was deemed compelling enough to prove a breach of professional duty.
How did the Nawaz brothers move funds through Buckley Hall?
While the court established that Jai Gascoyne and Elle Walton assisted in the transfer of money and contraband, the specific mechanics of these transactios remain unclear. It is not yet known if the funds were moved via digital transfers, third-party intermediaries, or physical smuggling, nor is it clear if other staff members were coerced or bribed to look the other way.
Additionally, the report does not specify whether the prison administration at Buckley Hall had flagged any suspicious behavior prior to the behavior detection operation.. Whether this was an isolated failure of two young officers or a symptom of wider supervisory gaps at the Rochdale facility remains a cirtical unanswered question.
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