Northampton Crown Court Sentencing Results

Alicia Novas, a teenage prison officer at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, engaged in a sexual relationship with inmate Declan Winkless between August 1, 2024, and December 24, 2024. She smuggled cannabis and two mobile phones into the prison for him, passed on her personal mobile number leading to nearly 3,000 communications, and provided sensitive information including the name of a prison informant on November 23, 2024, putting the informant at risk and undermining prison security. Two videos of her having sexual intercourse in her uniform were posted on Snapchat by Winkless and ended up in the press. The relationship became sexual by November 16, 2024, and involved Winkless offering expensive gifts.

Declan Winkless, a 31-year-old inmate serving an 11-year and 3-month sentence for burglary conspiracies at HMP Five Wells, manipulated prison officer Alicia Novas into a romantic and sexual relationship starting around November 2024. He used four illegal devices for nearly 3,000 communications, posted two Snapchat videos of sexual intercourse with Novas in her uniform, received smuggled cannabis and two mobile phones from her, and obtained sensitive information including the name of a prison informant on November 23, 2024, endangering the informant's safety and prison investigations. A Motorola phone was found in his cell on December 22, 2024.

Oliver George White, 34, of Coltman Drive, Loughborough, carried out the rape of a woman in her home in Northampton in 2023. He went on trial earlier in 2025, was found guilty by a jury after a two-week trial in August, and was sentenced for the rape and for breaching a sexual risk order made by Northampton Magistrates’ Court in March 2024, which required him to inform police of any new sexual relationships. He was arrested for the breach in February 2025. He was found not guilty of one further rape and an attempted rape.

On the night of October 12, 2020, Jimmy Doran, 22, of Kirton near Boston, and Michael Rooney drove a woman to a property in Stanion Lane, Corby, coerced her into drinking a bottle-and-a-half of wine, and then raped her. The woman escaped despite her phone being taken and reported the offences to Northamptonshire Police. Doran and Rooney were arrested and charged.

On the night of October 12, 2020, Michael Rooney, 23, from Broughton near Kettering, and Jimmy Doran drove a woman to a property in Stanion Lane, Corby, coerced her into drinking a bottle-and-a-half of wine, and then raped her. The woman escaped despite her phone being taken and reported the offences to Northamptonshire Police. Rooney and Doran were arrested and charged.

On 15/09/2025, Ben Williams breached a domestic violence protection order made on 30/08/2025 by making direct contact with a named female via telephone.

Aimee Duke, a 26-year-old prison officer at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was caught on CCTV entering prisoners' cells on numerous occasions without any professional reason. She also took her personal bag into the prison wing, which was prohibited. In August 2022, a search revealed a piece of paper with a prisoner's ID number in her purse. She was arrested on September 23, 2022, and her mobile phone contained text messages showing intimate communications with inmates, including requests for pictures and expressions of wanting to be together. The relationship continued even after the inmate was transferred to another prison.

Haron James was driving a white Mercedes Sprinter van back to Leicestershire from an exhibition in London via the A14 in the early hours of November 4, 2024, after a 13-hour shift. He fell asleep at the wheel while the vehicle was on cruise control, causing it to drift onto the grass verge and collide with a barrier. A passenger in the rear of the van, who was not wearing a seat belt and had no proper seating, suffered serious head and neck injuries as a result of the impact.

On February 19, 2025, Tony James used an accelerant to set a blue Mazda car on fire in Fotheringhay Road, Corby, causing £5,500 worth of damage. In the process, he accidentally set himself on fire, sustaining substantial burns. Police investigation identified him through forensic evidence and CCTV, leading to his arrest in his caravan where they discovered cocaine worth nearly £10,000 and some cannabis. He was charged with multiple offences related to the incident.

Hammanjulde Hammawa, a 65-year-old vascular consultant, was driving his black Mercedes and crossed double white lines to overtake a lorry while rushing to work. This dangerous manoeuvre resulted in a head-on crash with a silver Yamaha motorbike ridden by Maciej Stepien on November 29, 2022, near the village of Hargrave, Northamptonshire, leading to Mr Stepien's death at the scene.

Casey Edwards, 26, led police on a high-speed chase in a silver Mercedes C200 along the A45 near Great Doddington, Northamptonshire, on April 27, 2025. He reached speeds of 130mph on a 60mph dual carriageway, nearly forced a police car off the road near a broken-down vehicle, drove at 60mph through residential streets, went the wrong way around roundabouts, mounted a pavement, and performed dangerous undertaking manoeuvres. He crashed into a Kia Niro, causing minor injuries to its occupants, then lost control and collided with wooden bollards before stopping in a bush. He attempted to flee but was arrested after a short foot chase.

Iurie Gavrilita was driving a black Mercedes in Aldershot when police noticed suspicious behaviour on March 8, 2024. A search revealed 18 wraps of cocaine hidden in a sock in his underwear, £375 in cash, and two mobile phones in the vehicle. He was charged with possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A.

Daniel Carter, a 35-year-old employed by the Raunds site of logistics giant DPD, stole electronic items worth an estimated £2,327 while working there. He was already a serving prisoner at HMP Fosse Way in Leicester at the time of sentencing.

Wayne Stead stalked a female victim and her partner for three months between August and November 2024. He visited her home address in Rushden, repeatedly messaged and called her, followed her when she left her home, and placed a surreptitious tracker on her car. The stalking had a substantial adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities.

Louis De Zoysa shot and killed Metropolitan Police Sergeant Matt Ratana in a holding cell at Croydon's Windmill Road custody centre on September 25, 2020. While handcuffed, he retrieved a concealed .41-calibre revolver and fired multiple shots, hitting Sgt Ratana in the chest and thigh, leading to his death. De Zoysa also sustained injuries from his own gunfire. He was arrested earlier that day in Norbury and had bullets and cannabis on his person.