Two UK Prison Officers Admit to Improper Relations with Brothers Running Multi-Million Pound Drug Empire
Two female prison officers at Buckley Hall prison in Rochdale, near Manchester, have admitted to improper relationships with two brothers serving long sentences for running a multi-million pound drug trafficking network. Jay Gaskoin, 25, and Elle Walton, 27, appeared together in Manchester court this week. Gaskoin pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in public office, involving contact with prisoner Dil Nawaz, 30, and phone communication with another inmate, Michael Hay. Walton admitted similar misconduct related to her relationship with Dil’s brother, Hak Nawaz, 32.
The Nawaz brothers were sentenced in September 2023 for managing an organized crime group that distributed crack cocaine, cocaine, and heroin worth an estimated £2.15 to £3.1 million within a year. Hak Nawaz received 13 years and 10 months, while Dil Nawaz was sentenced to 12 years. Their drug network involved dealers, couriers, and exploited minors, using dedicated phone lines for drug orders and advertising. The investigation led to 30 arrests and a total of 132 years in prison sentences among the defendants.
During the court hearing, the Nawaz brothers appeared via video link and face charges of encouraging and assisting the officers’ misconduct. They are scheduled to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on July 7. Gaskoin and Walton were released on bail pending sentencing on August 7. Judge Sarah Johnston warned that all sentencing options remain open, indicating the officers could face prison themselves.
This case adds to a series of embarrassing incidents in UK prisons involving staff accused of improper relationships with inmates. Last year, a former female officer was jailed for 15 months after being filmed having sexual contact with a prisoner. Although details of the officers’ exact interactions with the Nawaz brothers were not disclosed, their admissions highlight ongoing concerns about boundaries being crossed behind prison walls.
