On 23 December 2024, Novas was arrested after a phone was seized from Winkless’s cell.
She was released on bail and resigned three days later, but she immediately resumed contact with him, making about 400 further phone calls.
Crane added: “Given your age and inexperience, you were vulnerable to being manipulated.
“However, you could easily have reported matters to the prison authorities and sought assistance.
“You persisted in having contact over a significant period even after your arrest.”
Novas was told she would serve half her sentence in jail before being released on licence.
Addressing Winkless, who has 16 previous convictions and is serving a separate sentence until April 2029, the judge said: “You were older and had more life experience and used that to manipulate Novas.”
He admitted two counts of encouraging misconduct in public office, unauthorised communication within the prison, using cannabis in prison and unauthorised possession of communication devices within a prison.
Winkless was told his sentence would be added to his existing prison term – to run consecutively.
