The Court of Appeal has extended the prison sentence of Declan Winkless, a 31-year-old inmate who recorded himself having sex with a prison officer and shared the video on social media. His initial sentence of three years and four months, handed down at Northampton Crown Court in January, was deemed unduly lenient by appeal judges, who increased it to five years.
Details of the Offences
Winkless, formerly of Kirkdale Road, South Wigston, is already serving an 11-year term for aggravated burglary. He admitted to charges of prison smuggling and misconduct in a public office. The offences involved encouraging and assisting former prison officer Alicia Novas, 20, to smuggle cannabis, tobacco, and two mobile phones into HMP Five Wells and HMP Peterborough. Novas also provided Winkless with confidential prison intelligence, including the identity of a prison informant.
Sentencing of Alicia Novas
Novas, who began her career as a prison officer on July 1, 2024, at the age of 18, received a three-year prison sentence, which was not altered by the appeal. She admitted to misconduct in a public office and smuggling drugs and phones into the prisons. Detective Inspector Richard Cornell of the East Midlands Regional Prisons Intelligence Unit stated: "These sentences reflect the gravity of the multitude of offences committed. Novas had only just begun her career as a prison officer... 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."
Investigation and Communication
The offences occurred between August 1, 2024, and March 21, 2025. Novas was arrested on December 23, 2024, and released on bail with conditions prohibiting contact with Winkless. However, an investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit revealed that by November 6, 2024, the pair had been communicating via mobile phone. Over 2,800 messages were exchanged before Novas' arrest, and approximately 400 additional contacts occurred after her arrest, violating her bail conditions.
Detective Inspector Cornell added: "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."
