Prison officers jailed for having affairs with inmate brothers as messages revealed

Two female prison officers have been jailed after being caught having separate affairs with a pair of gang member prisoners who ran a crack cocaine operation in the UK.

Jai Gascoyne, 25, and Elle Walton, 27, were allegedly mates outside of work, but also near sister-in-law too thanks to their criminal relationships at their workplace - Buckley Hall Prison near Rochdale.

According to the Daily Mail, Gascoyne and inmate Dil Nawaz, 30, began their romance in January 2024, and Walton apparently struck up her own affair with Nawaz's brother Haq, 32.

However, their connections would be discovered after an investigation was launched after prison anti-corruption officials received intelligence, per prosecutor Philip Hall.

Gascoyne was allegedly searched, per the Sun, and was found to have two necklaces on her person, one engraved with a 'D' she claimed was an ode to her dad, and a second with Arabic script that she reportedly couldn't explain.

Jai Gascoyne and Elle Walton were jailed for their affairs (Facebook)

Allegedly, it was an Islamic prayer for protection which is thought to be a nod to Nawaz’s Muslim faith.

Officers later discovered she had apparently ordered two bracelets and two necklaces on Amazon.

Dil Nawaz was also found to be in possession of a silver bracelet with a love-heart pendant engraved with a 'J' during a cell search, as well as a Valentine’s card with the words, 'I love you always,' written inside.

His brother, Haq Nawaz, was similarly found wearing an 'E' pendant and having a Valentine’s card.

But the evidence didn't end there.

According to reports of what the court was told, Gascoyne and Nawaz's messages came to light of him 'wanting to have sex with her and how she could take him to the chapel or open his door and go in his room', as well as images where the officer had superimposed Nawaz’s face beside hers.

Hall went on to claim she had also searched up the brothers online, making her 'fully aware of their crimes'.

Both women are also to have said to have received cash from Nawaz’s sisters.

Dil and Haq Nawaz were given 12 months of additional time inside (Lancashire Police)

Per the Daily Mail, the brothers ultimately pled guilty to encouraging and assisting in the commission of an either way offence, specifically the misconduct in public office, as well as possessing a mobile phone in prison.

Gascoyne and Walton were handed 16 and 13 months in prison respectively, as the judge, Recorder Ben Lawrence said the crimes 'strikes at the heart of the public faith in the prison system'.

Walton pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office, and Gascoyne's additional time allegedly came after it appeared she had two other relationships with inmates at the prison.

As for what led to the relationships, it was heard that Nawaz said he simply wanted 'companionship' after undergoing mental health struggles following a prison attack, and his brother just 'wanted someone to talk to' due to feeling isolated from his relatives.

Both received 12-month sentences on top of their currently tenures which includes 13 years and 10 months for Haq and 12 years for Nawaz for 12 years in September 2023 for leading a class A drug-distributing OCG gang with their other brother Asim.

The pair allegedly shifted crack cocaine and also heroin prior to their arrest.