Ex-prison governor jailed for having relationship with drug-dealing prisoner

A former prison governor has been jailed for nine years after having a relationship with a drug-dealing organised criminal who gave her a £12,000 Mercedes as a gift.

Kerri Pegg, 42 from Up Holland in Lancashire, was convicted of misconduct in public office and possession of criminal property in a trial at Preston Crown Court which finished on 8 April.

Pegg was a governor-grade prison officer at HMP Kirkham in Lancashire in 2018 when Anthony Saunderson was reaching the end of a lengthy sentence for large-scale drug dealing.

Other officers noted a close relationship between Pegg and Saunderson, which eventually extended to her intervening to approve his temporary release on licence.

In mid-2019 Saunderson was released from prison and early the following year, was using an encrypted communication system called Encrochat to speak to his criminal associates.

Law enforcement agencies gained access to Encrochat and were able to see the messages which included references to ‘Kerri’ and to obtaining a Mercedes for his girlfriend.

On 6 April 2020 Saunderson was sent a message saying ‘car her (sic) for ya bird 12 quid or work’.

‘12 quid’ in this criminal context means £12,000 and ‘work’ means drugs. Saunderson was then sent a picture of a black Mercedes coupe.

On 11 April Saunderson was joking with associates on Encrochat about driving around with ‘Peggy’ in her new car.

In late 2020, Pegg was arrested and the Mercedes was parked outside her house. She had a ‘burner’ mobile telephone used just to communicate with Saunderson and his DNA was found on footwear and a toothbrush at her home.

Investigations following her arrest also showed that she was in serious debt and had a number of county court judgements against her.

Pegg had never disclosed any relationship with Saunderson, nor the county court judgements, to her employer. The rules of her employment required her to disclose both. She has since been dismissed from her role.

Since his release, Saunderson was convicted of drugs and firearms offences and is back in prison serving a 35-year sentence.

Tarryn McCaffrey from the Crown Prosecution Service said:  ‘Pegg’s actions in becoming involved with a prisoner who had committed serious drug offences portrayed a total lack of integrity or judgement.

‘She displayed a shocking lack of professionalism in her role, overriding rules around Saunderson’s temporary release and ignoring her obligations to declare personal debts.

‘The evidence presented at court by the CPS, including messages and DNA evidence, proved beyond doubt the close relationship between the two.

‘The seriousness of today’s sentence reflects how damaging these actions were to the confidence of the public, who are entitled to be able to trust those who work in prisons.

‘The CPS will not hesitate to work with partners such as the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit to prosecute those who commit misconduct in public office.’