Two female prison officers have pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office for having relationships with a pair of drug-dealing brothers while they were incarcerated at HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale. The brothers, Dil Nawaz, 30, and Haq Nawaz, 32, were leaders of an organised crime group that sold between £2 million and £3.2 million worth of crack cocaine and heroin in the Chorley and Preston areas.
Details of the Relationships
Jai Gascoyne, 25, of Duckinfield, Greater Manchester, admitted two counts of misconduct in public office for her relationship with Dil Nawaz and for communicating by phone with another prisoner, Michael Haigh. Elle Walton, 27, of Bacup, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct for her relationship with Haq Nawaz. The relationships occurred between January and April 2024.
The pair appeared together in the dock at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday, 23 June. The nature of the relationships was not clarified in court, but the Nawaz brothers are accused of encouraging and assisting misconduct in public office. They are set to appear at Manchester Magistrates' Court on July 7.
Sentencing and Background
A sentencing hearing for the former prison officers has been scheduled for August 7. Both Gascoyne and Walton are believed to have been granted bail, while the Nawaz brothers remain in custody. Haq Nawaz was sentenced to 13 years and 10 months, and Dil Nawaz to 12 years in September 2023 for heading the organised crime group alongside a third brother, Asim.
This case is not isolated. In January 2025, prison officer Linda Abreu was found guilty of similar misconduct after video emerged of her engaging in a sex act with a prisoner. She was sentenced to 15 months but released after 5 months due to an early release initiative aimed at relieving prison overcrowding.
Impact and Implications
The incidents highlight ongoing issues with prison security and staff misconduct. According to The Sun, which originally reported the story, the Nawaz brothers are accused of encouraging and assisting the officers' misconduct. The case underscores the challenges of maintaining discipline and preventing inappropriate relationships in correctional facilities.
