A teenage prison officer and an inmate have admitted to engaging in a sexual relationship, leading to serious misconduct charges at a Northamptonshire prison.
Guilty Pleas Entered at Crown Court
Alicia Novas, aged 19, and Declan Winkless, 30, both pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office at Northampton Crown Court. The charges stem from incidents that occurred between August and December 2024 at HMP Five Wells, a category C prison near Wellingborough.
The court heard that Novas, who was working as a prison custody officer, provided her personal telephone number to Winkless. She also failed to report that the inmate was in possession of a mobile phone and cannabis within the prison. Her actions were described as a "wilful misconduct" that amounted to an abuse of public trust.
Multiple Offences Admitted
Beyond the core misconduct charge, the pair admitted to a series of related offences. Both pleaded guilty to making an unauthorised transmission of an image or sound from inside a prison. They also admitted to conveying cannabis and two mobile phones into HMP Five Wells.
Furthermore, they pleaded guilty to a separate charge of misconduct relating to an unauthorised electronic transmission of an image connected to HMP Peterborough, which took place between December 2024 and March 2025.
Winkless, formerly of South Wigston, Leicestershire, faced an additional seventh charge. He admitted to possessing a device with a SIM card at HMP Five Wells without authority on 22 December last year.
Court Appearance and Sentencing
During a short hearing on Monday, 1 December 2025, the facts of the case were not opened by the prosecutor. Novas appeared in the dock wearing a black outfit and glasses, while Winkless attended via videolink from HMP Swaleside in Kent, wearing a grey T-shirt.
Both defendants spoke only to confirm their names and enter their guilty pleas. Novas, from Raunds in Northamptonshire, had been on conditional bail but was remanded into custody immediately after pleading guilty. A woman in the public gallery was seen crying into a tissue as the decision was made.
The judge has scheduled sentencing for both defendants on 5 January. They will remain in custody until that date.
