'Waiting is a sign of true love and patience': Jailed prison guard's Valentine's message to drug kingpin lover is revealed

By JAMES TOZER, NORTHERN CORRESPONDENT Published: 00:01, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 00:13, 12 August 2026 A smitten prison officer pledged to wait until her drug gang boss lover had served his 12-year prison sentence, telling him: 'Waiting is a sign of true love and patience.' In a gushing Valentine's Day card found in Dil Nawaz's cell, Jai Gascoyne added: 'Anyone can say I love you but not everyone can wait and prove it. 'Happy Valentine’s Day D, here’s to the first of forever and I can’t wait for the future.' The 25-year-old signed off the card by writing: 'I love you always.' Instead, the pledge to be faithful to the 30-year-old helped expose Gascoyne's illicit relationship. After prison intelligence led to an anti-corruption probe, she was searched and found to be wearing two necklaces. She claimed that one featuring a love heart engraved with the letter 'D' referred to her dad. But Gascoyne was unable to explain what Arabic script on the other pendant meant. Prison officer Jai Gascoyne, 25, was caught having a secret relationship with a jailed drug dealer after searches revealed jewellery gifts and an incriminating card Gascoyne sent a gushing Valentine's Day card to inmate Dil Nawaz - who is serving  a 12-year sentence - pledging: 'Waiting is a sign of true love and patience' Fellow prison officer Elle Walton, 27, was given a 13-month sentence after she pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office over a relationship with Haq Nawaz In reality it was an 'Islamic prayer for protection' and 'one of the most powerful verses from the Koran', a court would later hear. Further searches uncovered a love letter from her car – also signed off 'I love you always' – along with a ring in a box. Nawaz's cell was also searched, with officers finding a matching love heart pendant engraved with a 'J' as well as the Valentine's card. Incredibly the same investigation also exposed that Gascoyne's friend and fellow warder Elle Walton, 27, was in a secret relationship with Nawaz's brother Haq, 32. Both had been locked up at Buckley Hall Prison near Rochdale after being convicted of heading a drugs gang which distributed as much as £3million worth of crack cocaine and heroin. Gascoyne and Walton are now behind bars themselves after a judge said their betrayal of trust 'strikes at the heart of the public faith in the prison system'. The Nawaz brothers were each ordered to serve an extra 12 months in jail for their roles. The double deception was exposed after suspicious colleagues stopped Gascoyne during a 'behaviour detection operation', Manchester Crown Court heard. Pendant decorated with Arabic script believed to be a gift from inmate Dil Nawaz which prison officer Jai Gascoyne was wearing when she was searched Matching pendants exchanged by prison officer Jai Gascoyne and her secret inmate lover Dil Nawaz Ex-prison officer Jai Gascoyne, 25, (pictured) was jailed for 16 months As well as becoming romantically involved with Dil Nawaz in January 2024 she also had inappropriate contact with two other prisoners, the court heard. At around the same time, Walton began a similar relationship with Haq Nawaz. The two couples each exchanged hundreds of messages with each other, swapped gifts and money and wore jewellery bearing each other's initials. In messages between Gascoyne and Dil Nawaz, they declared their 'love' for each other. He also discussed 'wanting to have sex with her and how she could take him to the chapel or open his door and go in his room', a court heard. When Haq Nawaz's cell was searched, he was found to be wearing a chain inscribed with the letter 'E' for 'Elle'.  Jailing Gascoyne and Walton to 16 and 13 months in prison respectively on August 7, the judge, Recorder Ben Lawrence said 'deterrent' sentences were needed. It meant 'the next young female prison officer who considers starting a relationship with a prisoner may think twice if they learn you go to prison no matter what your positive features,' he added.  He said Gascoyne's case was 'more serious' as she seemed to have had relationships with three prisoners. Police issue mugshot of Jai Gascoyne who was jailed for 16 months after she pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in public office Elle Walton (pictured) was told that her offending 'strikes at the heart of the public faith in the prison system' by a judge as he jailed her Gascoyne had created images of Dil Nawaz on her phone, superimposing her own face alongside his, the court heard. Although she and Walton used pseudonyms for the brothers, they would sometimes 'slip up'. Both women also received cash payments via one of their sisters. They refused to answer any questions when they were asked about the relationships. But Gascoyne, of Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, later pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in public office. Walton, of Bacup, Lancashire, admitted one count of misconduct in public office at an earlier hearing. The brothers each pleaded guilty to encouraging and assisting in the commission of an either way offence, namely misconduct in public office, and possessing a mobile phone in prison. All the offences took place between January and April 2024. (L-R) Dil Nawaz, 30, and Haq Nawaz, 32, are serving sentences of 12 years and 13 years and 10 months respectively for heading an organised crime gang Michael O'Brien, defending Walton, said her relationship had not become sexual and it wasn't intended to compromise the security or integrity of the prison. He said she 'fully regrets' and was 'deeply remorseful' for her actions and was of previously good character. He pointed out how she provided care for a relative in a wheelchair and now intended to pursue a career as a hairdresser because she could no longer care for children. Nick Cockrell, defending Gascoyne, said her remorse was 'genuine'. He pointed to her youth at the time of the offences and the length of time it had taken to bring the case to court. The court heard how the Nawaz brothers had not planned on entering into the relationships and neither had got the women to carry items into prison for them. Both were handed additional 12 month sentences for their role. Haq Nawaz was jailed for 13 years and ten months and Dil Nawaz for 12 years in September 2023 for heading an OCG gang with their other brother Asim Nawaz. They controlled an 'army' of drug dealers and runners in Chorley and Preston, which included exploited juveniles, who operated at street level.