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A former prison officer has been sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to a sexual relationship with an inmate and other related offences. Alicia Novas, aged 20 and from Raunds, was employed at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough when she became involved with prisoner Declan Winkless. During this time, she also smuggled cannabis into the prison. Novas pleaded guilty to six charges, including misconduct in public office, at Northampton Crown Court. Meanwhile, Winkless, 31, who acknowledged encouraging her to commit these offences, received a sentence of three years and four months.
Both Novas and Winkless appeared at the hearing remotely from HMP Peterborough. Evidence revealed that Novas began her employment at the prison in July 2024 at the age of 18, while Winkless had been incarcerated there since June of the same year. By early November 2024, the two were communicating through electronic means after Novas provided her personal phone number to Winkless. The relationship developed into a sexual one later that month, with communications continuing via additional phone numbers through messages, calls, and video chats. Prosecutor Matthew Rowcliffe highlighted that the pair exchanged nearly 3,000 contacts between August 2024 and March 2025.
Among Novas’s admitted offences was bringing cannabis and two phones into the prison. She also engaged in unauthorised communication inside, which included disclosing the identity of a prisoner informant—a serious lapse in her duties according to the prosecution. Novas was arrested on 23 December 2024 after a phone was discovered in Winkless’s cell. Although granted bail and resigning from her position shortly afterward, she continued to maintain contact with Winkless, making roughly 400 more calls despite the ongoing investigation.
Judge Rebecca Crane emphasized the gravity of Novas’s actions, stating, “You failed to consider the seriousness of your actions and the potential impact on the security and safety of the staff and prisoners and how it undermined the work of the prison.” She also remarked on Novas’s vulnerability to manipulation due to her youth and inexperience but noted that Novas could have reported the situation to authorities instead of persisting in her conduct. Addressing Winkless, who has a lengthy criminal record including 16 previous convictions and is already serving a sentence until April 2029, the judge commented, “You were older and had more life experience and used that to manipulate Novas.” Winkless’s sentence will run consecutively with his existing prison term
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