Former Teenage Prison Officer Sentenced for Sexual Relationship with Inmate
Alicia Novas, a 20-year-old former prison custody officer, has been jailed for three years after engaging in a sexual relationship with an inmate while she was a teenager. The offences primarily occurred over a four-month period at HMP Five Wells, a Category C Adult Male prison located in Wellingborough, North Northamptonshire.
Snapchat Videos Shared Publicly
Judge Rebecca Crane highlighted that two explicit videos showing Novas "having sexual intercourse in her prison uniform" were disseminated on Snapchat by the inmate, Declan Winkless, aged 31. These recordings ultimately found their way into the press, amplifying the scandal's notoriety.
Winkless received a sentence of three years and four months for his involvement, which will run consecutively to his existing prison term. The court proceedings revealed that during their illicit relationship from August to December 2024, Novas provided her phone number to Winkless and neglected to report his possession of a mobile phone and cannabis.
Abuse of Public Trust and Additional Charges
Novas was found to have "wilfully misconducted" herself in a manner that constituted "an abuse of the public’s trust." Winkless was implicated in encouraging and assisting both offences. Both individuals pleaded guilty to a separate misconduct charge dated November 23 last year.
Their admissions extended to several other violations, including:
- Making an unauthorised transmission of an image or sound from within a prison
- Conveying cannabis into HMP Five Wells
- Smuggling two mobile phones into the category C facility near Wellingborough
- Making an unauthorised electronic transmission of an image related to HMP Peterborough between December 2024 and March this year
Winkless, formerly of South Wigston, Leicestershire, also admitted to a seventh charge of possessing a device with a SIM card at HMP Five Wells without authorisation on December 22, 2024.
Legal Consequences and Custody Status
Novas, residing in Raunds, Northamptonshire, had been on conditional bail but was remanded into custody following her guilty pleas. The case underscores severe breaches of prison security and professional conduct, leading to substantial custodial sentences for both parties involved.
