A 31-year-old prisoner from Leicester has been sentenced alongside a former prison officer from Raunds for smuggling contraband and misconduct in a public office, in a case highlighting breaches of trust within the prison system.
Declan Winkless, formerly of Kirkdale Road, South Wigston, was sentenced to three years and four months at Northampton Crown Court on Monday, January 26, after pleading guilty to multiple offences, including misconduct in a public office, smuggling prohibited items into prison, and illegal possession of items while incarcerated. Winkless is already serving an 11-year sentence for aggravated burglary.
Picture credit: Northamptonshire Police
He appeared in court alongside 20-year-old Alicia Novas, of Holdenby Drive, Raunds, who was sentenced to three years for smuggling drugs and mobile phones into HMP Five Wells, as well as misconduct in a public office.
The offences took place between August 1, 2024, and March 21, 2025, at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough and HMP Peterborough. Investigators from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) discovered the illegal activity after a December 22, 2024, search of Winkless’s cell uncovered a mobile phone containing messages exchanged with Novas.
The court heard that Novas, who had begun working as a prison officer at HMP Five Wells in July 2024, sent over 2,800 messages to Winkless before her arrest, with further contact continuing while on police bail. She admitted to smuggling cannabis, tobacco, and mobile phones into the prison for Winkless.
Picture credit: Northamptonshire Police
Detective Inspector Richard Cornell, from the East Midlands Regional Prisons Intelligence Unit, said:
“These sentences reflect the gravity of the offences committed. Novas abused her position of trust shortly after starting her career as a prison officer, while Winkless exploited this relationship. Their conduct undermined public confidence in the prison system.”
Cornell praised prison counter-corruption teams, emphasising that the case represents a rare breach of standards among the majority of staff who perform their duties with integrity.
The case serves as a reminder that smuggling and misconduct in the prison system, whether by staff or inmates, will be investigated thoroughly and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
