HMP Five Wells prison officer's relationship with violent inmate rumbled when he Snapchatted lewd video to his pals

Alicia Novas, from Holdenby Drive, Raunds, was just 18 when she began working at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough in July 2024.

After completing the nine-week course that covered topics including bribery and corruption, Novas started working on A-wing.

But within weeks, she had begun a relationship with serving prisoner 31-year-old Declan Winkless, a violent burglar who was once part of a gang that attacked a pregnant woman.

She smuggled cannabis, tobacco and phones into the prison for Winkless, and he promised to buy her gifts, The pair contacted each other more than 2,800 times during the period in question.

She also told him the name of a prison informant and details of the information that the prisoner had passed to the authorities.

Using a phone bought by Novas, Winkless – who is originally from Leicester – filmed the pair having sex and sent it to pals on Snapchat.

During one tryst, he was seen winking at the camera. Her prison keys were visible in the film.

The video found its way into the hands of a national newspaper, which published a story in late December 2024.

The duo were arrested, but astonishingly, contact continued while Novas was on bail and Winkless had been transferred to HMP Peterborough.

Novas and Winkless were at Northampton Crown Court this morning (Monday, January 26) to be sentenced after both admitted a string of charges against them.

Novas, who is now in HMP Peterborough, and Winkless, who is in HMP Swaleside but was transported to HMP Peterborough for the hearing, both appeared via videolink. She wore a t-shirt featuring an image of notorious anti-police rapper Ice Cube.

Prosecuting, Matthew Rowcliffe, told the court that Novas had handed her personal phone number to Winkless while he was in prison. After their arrest, their phones were examined and messages were found that started on November 6, but it was clear that the contact had started before that.

Winkless had at least four separate telephone numbers during the period in question – August 1, 2024, to December 1, 2024.

Mr Rowcliffe said that Winkless had asked her for a ‘birthday snog’ on November 17.

"By November 19, it’s clear sexual contact has taken place between the two,” he said.

The sexual messages continued between the pair, and Winkless asked her to buy him a new phone, which she did, from Asda.

The pair exchanged Whatsapp videos on the phone, one of which was sent by Winkless to three pals on Snapchat.

Prison investigators were later able to see Novas entering Winkless’s room on CCTV at the precise time the Snapchat videos were recorded.

Winkless told Novas he would buy her a Moncler coat and transferred £250 into her bank account, after which she brought him a second phone as well as tobacco and cannabis.

The national newspaper sent a clip of the video to G4S, which runs Five Wells, for comment, and the pair were arrested. Novas denied the allegations and was released on bail. Winkless was moved to HMP Peterborough.

Mr Rowcliffe said: “Her bail conditions were not to contact Mr Winkless or any other serving prisoner.

"But it’s clear they resumed communications almost immediately, mostly via telephone calls.

"There were 400 further contacts between them.”

The court was told that Novas had no criminal convictions, but that Winkless had 31 offences on his record including for possession of firearms, aggravated burglary and violence. His current release date for the 11 year sentence he is serving is April 21, 2029.

Mitigating for Novas, advocate Liam Muir said his client had been diagnosed with a personality disorder since her arrest. She is an enhanced prisoner and a safety custody representative.

She also has a history of trauma and substance misuse.

For Winkless, barrister Dale Beeson said his client was now drug free and had undertaken maths and English courses in prison.

"It’s a matter of great embarrassment,” said Mr Beeson.

"He knows he has to face the consequences.”

Novas pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in public office; unauthorised communication within HMP Five Wells and HMP Peterborough; conveying cannabis into prison; and conveying two mobile phones into prison.

Winkless, now of HMP Swaleside, admitted two counts of encouraging misconduct in public office; unauthorised communication within HMP Five Wells and HMP Peterborough; conveying cannabis into prison; conveying two mobile phones into prison; and unauthorised possession of communication devices within a prison.

Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane said: “There was extensive contact between you – nearly 3,000 contacts in the indictment period.”

Addressing Novas she said: “I accept that you are genuinely remorseful. You are engaging in the prison regime and an enhanced prisoner. I assess that you were naive and immature.

"Given your age and inexperience you were vulnerable to being manipulated.

"However, you could easily have reported matters to the prison authorities and sought assistance. You persisted in having contact over a significant period ever after your arrest.

“You failed to consider the seriousness of your actions and the potential impact on the security and the safety of staff and prisoners and how it undermined the work of the prison.

“Even an inexperienced and naive prison officer would know that prisoners who are suspected of being informants are often victims of very serious violence. Therefore, providing the name of such a person to Winkless was extremely serious.”

To Winkless, she said: “..You were older and had more life experience and used that to manipulate Novas.

"You assisted her in the abuse of her position of trust, which you knew was serious.

"This offending occurred over a prolonged period, including after Novas' arrest. An aggravating feature is that you posted videos of your sexual encounters with Novas on social media.”

Novas was given three years and in prison, of which she will serve half in custody.

Winkless was given three years and four months, which he will serve consecutively to his existing sentence.

The Crown Prosecution Service had previously applied for a reporting restriction on the case, which would have the effect of delaying media reports of its outcome until later this year. However, after legal submissions from the BBC, supported by the Northants Telegraph and Chronicle and Echo, Her Honour Judge Crane ruled that the case could be fully reported today.

Following sentencing, Detective Inspector Richard Cornell, from the East Midlands Regional Prisons Intelligence Unit, said:

“These sentences reflect the gravity of the multitude of offences committed. Novas had only just begun her career as a prison officer, having taken up her position in July 2024. This followed completion of training which would have strongly emphasised the honesty, integrity and professionalism expected of someone in such a position of authority.

“Unfortunately Novas used her position to form an inappropriate relationship with Winkless and to breach public trust and confidence further by illegally passing on information and smuggling drugs and mobile phones to him.

“Winkless undoubtedly encouraged this relationship and the unprofessional and illegal conduct carried out by Novas, and this is reflected in the charges he also faced and the sentence he has now received, added to the lengthy prison term he is already serving for aggravated burglary.

“However, that does not in any way excuse the wilful misconduct of Novas, who was well aware of the standards expected of her as prison officer in a position of responsibility and trust.

“I would like to thank our counter-corruption colleagues from His Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) and G4S, who we work with closely to root out corruption and offending in prisons.

“I would also like to emphasise that Novas’s conduct does not reflect the actions of the vast majority of prison staff who carry out their duties to the highest standards and with the greatest integrity.

“I hope the sentences handed down today send a clear message to those in positions of authority, that corrupt and illegal conduct and inappropriate behaviour that undermines public trust, will be robustly dealt with using the full force of the law.”

Prison officers are Government-vetted before they start work, and are all subject to a training course that includes corruption and bribery prevention and recognising conditioning and manipulation tactics.

A HMP Five Wells spokesperson said: “We welcome the sentences handed down to Ms Novas and Mr Winkless.

"We expect the highest standards from our employees and will continue to work closely with Northamptonshire Police and the HMPPS Counter-Corruption Unit to proactively detect and disrupt wrongdoing.”