A teenage prison officer and an inmate have both admitted to misconduct in public office after conducting a secret sexual relationship within a UK prison.
Courtroom Confessions
Alicia Novas, aged 19, and Declan Winkless, a 30-year-old convict, pleaded guilty to the charges at Northampton Crown Court. The offences took place at HMP Five Wells, a Category C prison located in Northamptonshire, between August and December 2024.
Novas, a prison custody officer from Raunds, Northamptonshire, appeared in the dock wearing a black outfit and glasses. Winkless, formerly of South Wigston, Leicestershire, joined the hearing via videolink from HMP Swaleside in Kent, dressed in a grey T-shirt.
Details of the Offences
The court heard that Novas "wilfully misconducted" herself in a manner that constituted an abuse of public trust. Her actions included providing her personal telephone number to the inmate.
Furthermore, she failed to report that Winkless was in possession of a mobile phone and cannabis within the prison. The pair also admitted to a separate specific act of misconduct on 23 November 2024.
Additional Serious Charges
Both defendants pleaded guilty to a series of further unauthorised acts. These included:
- Conveying cannabis into HMP Five Wells.
- Conveying two mobile phones into the prison.
- Making an unauthorised transmission of an image or sound from within a prison.
They also admitted to making an unauthorised electronic transmission of an image relating to HMP Peterborough between December 2024 and March 2025.
Winkless admitted a seventh charge of possessing a device with a SIM card at HMP Five Wells without authority on 22 December 2024. The prosecution stated that Winkless encouraged and assisted in the offences.
Sentencing Awaited
The prosecution did not present the full facts during the short hearing on Monday, 1 December 2025. Both defendants spoke only to confirm their names and enter their pleas.
The case has been adjourned for sentencing, which is scheduled for 5 January 2026. The judge will then determine the consequences for the serious breaches of security and trust within the prison system.
