Declan Winkless, a 31-year-old inmate already serving an 11-year sentence for aggravated burglary, has had his prison term extended by five years after being found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a teenage prison guard. The Court of Appeal quashed his original three-year-and-four-month sentence for prison smuggling and misconduct in a public office, replacing it with five years' imprisonment on Tuesday, June 30.
Details of the Relationship
Winkless, formerly of Kirkdale Road, South Wigston, filmed his sexual encounters with 18-year-old Alicia Novas, a prison officer who had just started her career in July 2024. The footage was later leaked on Snapchat. Novas also smuggled cannabis, tobacco, and two mobile phones into HMP Five Wells and HMP Peterborough for Winkless, and passed him confidential prison intelligence, including the identity of a prison informant.
Winkless pleaded guilty to seven offences in January 2026 at Northampton Crown Court. The original sentence for these offences was deemed unduly lenient by the Court of Appeal following a submission from the Solicitor General.
Investigation and Sentencing
The investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit revealed that the offences occurred between August 1, 2024, and March 21, 2025. Novas was arrested in December 2024 after a mobile phone was found during a search of Winkless' cell, but contact between them continued despite her bail conditions. Novas, 20, of Holdenby Drive, Raunds, received a three-year sentence, which remains unchanged.
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, having taken up her position on July 1, 2024." He added: "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."
Impact and Implications
The case highlights serious breaches of prison security and the vulnerabilities of young staff in correctional facilities. The increased sentence for Winkless serves as a deterrent for similar misconduct. The sentences are now final, with Novas' term remaining at three years.
