Two prison guards who formed relationships with drug-dealing brothers have lost their bids to be released from prison. Prison officers Jai Gascoyne, 25, and Elle Walton, 27, were jailed earlier this year after sharing Valentine's Day cards, phone calls and messages with prisoners Dil Nawaz, 30, and Haq Nawaz, 32.
Background of the case
The Nawaz brothers were serving long prison sentences at HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale after flooding the streets of Lancashire with up to £3m worth of class A drugs. Gascoyne and Walton were good friends outside of work.
Their relationships, which took place in 2024, were uncovered after the anti-corruption unit received a tip-off. In August this year, the court heard how Gascoyne ordered matching necklaces and bracelets for herself and Dil Nawaz, engraved with the initials of their first names, from Amazon.
Details of the relationships
Valentine's Day cards from the two prison guards were found in the brothers' cell, with both women also receiving money from associates of the brothers. In messages, the two women referred to each other as "Mrs N", said to be a reference to their desire to marry the Nawaz brothers.
However, the court heard the relationships did not become sexual and they did not smuggle contraband on the Nawazs' behalf. Shortly before leaving her job, Gascoyne also exchanged a series of messages over Instagram with another Buckley Hall prisoner, Michael Haigh, where she agreed to visit his cell for a "goodbye cuddle".
Sentences and appeal
Gascoyne, of Chapel Street, Dukinfield, was jailed for 16 months after pleading guilty to two counts of misconduct in a public office. Walton, of Gordon Street, Bacup, Lancashire, was sentenced to 13 months after admitting one count of the same charge.
At a hearing at London's Appeal Court, lawyers for both former officers argued their sentences were "manifestly excessive" and should have been suspended. Nick Cockrell, on behalf of Gascoyne, said the sentencing judge had failed to take into account her previous good character, personal mitigation, remorse and her young age. Michael O'Brien, representing Walton, argued there was "no sexual contact", no items had been smuggled into the prison, the contact lasted just eight weeks and there was no evidence she was being groomed for further crimes.
Court ruling
Appeal Court judges Lord Justice Holgate, Mr Justice Griffiths and Judge Kearl rejected those arguments, saying both Walton and Gascoyne acted with their "eyes open". In a written judgment, they said both women had been "recently and specifically" trained about why "this sort of conduct was unacceptable and dangerous".
The judges said although the relationships weren't sexual, they were "committed, intense and... freely entered into" and that while the two officers hadn't smuggled phones into the jail, their actions had "strongly promoted their use" by inmates.
