Former prison officer who had sexual relationship with inmate is jailed

A former prison officer who had a sexual relationship with an inmate has been jailed for three years.

Alicia Novas, 20, was an officer at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, and had "failed to consider the seriousness" of her actions.

Judge Rebecca Crane said two videos of Novas "having sexual intercourse in her prison uniform" were shared on Snapchat by prisoner Declan Winkless.

Novas, who was aged 18 at the time, had also smuggled cannabis and two mobile phones into the prison for him.

Winkless, 31, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for his role in the offending, consecutive to his current sentence.

Novas, of Raunds, Northamptonshire, gave her personal phone number to Winkless, who is serving a sentence of 11 years and three months for conspiracies to burgle.

The judge said there were nearly 3,000 contacts between the pair during the indictment period, with Winkless using four illicit devices.

Both defendants pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to multiple offences including Novas to misconduct in a public office between 1 August 2024 and 24 December 2024, with Winkless admitting to "encouraging and assisting" Novas in this offending.

These offences included Novas providing information about a prison informant and whether Winkless was suspected of wrongdoing by prison authorities.

The judge said the content of messages "demonstrates Winkless indicating he was romantically interested in Ms Novas, offering expensive gifts".

She said that by 16 November 2024 "the relationship became sexual including sexual intercourse".

The judge said that on 23 November, Winkless asked Novas "who the snitch was".

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Novas provided the name of a prisoner and told Winkless what prison authorities knew or suspected about his involvement.

"This put the informant at very considerable risk to his personal safety," the judge said.

"You persisted in having contact over a significant period even 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."

Liam Muir, for Novas, said the defendant had emotionally unstable personality disorder which was not known at the time.

The judge said she accepted Winkless was remorseful.

Both defendants appeared by prison videolink from HMP Peterborough for sentencing at Northampton Crown Court on Monday.

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