20-Year-Old Prison Officer Sentenced for Relationship with Older Inmate at 18

A young former prison officer, Alicia Novas, has been sentenced to three years in prison for her involvement in a sexual relationship with an inmate while she was still an officer.

At 20 years of age, Novas worked at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, where she became romantically involved with Declan Winkless, an inmate whom she also supplied with cannabis. Novas pleaded guilty to six charges, including misconduct in public office, and received her sentence at Northampton Crown Court on January 26, 2026.

Winkless, who is 31 years old and had encouraged Novas in these actions, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

During sentencing, Judge Rebecca Crane remarked that Novas failed to grasp the gravity of her actions and the resulting repercussions for the prison's safety and security. Both Novas and Winkless appeared in court through video links from HMP Peterborough.

The court learned that Novas commenced her job at the prison in July 2024 at the age of 18, while Winkless arrived a month earlier. By November 6, 2024, the two were communicating directly after Novas provided Winkless with her personal phone number, and their relationship turned sexual shortly thereafter.

They utilized various contact numbers to maintain their connection, which involved messages, phone calls, and video chats. Prosecutor Matthew Rowcliffe highlighted that there were 2,873 communications between the pair during the indictment period from August 2024 to March 2025.

Novas acknowledged that she smuggled cannabis and two mobile phones into the prison and engaged in unauthorized communication within the facility, including revealing the identity of a prisoner informant. Rowcliffe characterized this as a severe violation of her duties.

On December 23, 2024, Novas was apprehended after a mobile phone was confiscated from Winkless's cell. Although she was released on bail and resigned from her position three days later, she soon resumed contact with Winkless, making approximately 400 additional phone calls.

Judge Crane noted that despite Novas's youth and lack of experience, she was still vulnerable to manipulation but had the opportunity to report her situation to prison authorities.

She emphasized that Novas's persistent communication with Winkless continued significantly post-arrest, leading to her being told that she would only serve half of her sentence in custody before being placed on license.

In addressing Winkless, who has a history of 16 prior convictions and faces an additional sentence until April 2029 for other offenses, Judge Crane pointed out that he exploited his age and life experience to manipulate Novas. Winkless admitted to charges of encouraging misconduct, unauthorized communication, cannabis use in prison, and unlawfully possessing communication devices within prison facilities. His new sentence will lengthen his current imprisonment, to be served consecutively.