A prison governor, Kerri Pegg, found herself behind bars due to an illicit relationship with a drug gang boss who generously gifted her a £12,000 Mercedes. Pegg, once considered a rising star in the Prison Service, quickly ascended the ranks to become the governor at HMP Kirkham in Lancashire. However, her career took a nosedive when she became romantically involved with inmate Anthony Saunderson, known as Jesse Pinkman from the series Breaking Bad.
The downfall of Pegg began when she engaged in a fling with Saunderson, leading to her being convicted of two counts of misconduct in a public office. One count stemmed from her relationship with Saunderson, while the other was due to her failure to disclose county court judgments regarding her debts. Additionally, Pegg was found guilty of possessing criminal property, the Mercedes gifted to her by Saunderson, who financed the car through drug proceeds. Despite lacking the authority to approve Saunderson’s release on license in 2019, Pegg facilitated his freedom, allowing him to use drug money to purchase the luxury vehicle.
Furthermore, investigations revealed the extensive drug trafficking activities of Saunderson, leading to his incarceration for 35 years. The relationship between Pegg and Saunderson was exposed when DNA evidence and incriminating messages were discovered during a police search of Pegg’s residence in November 2020. Prosecutors highlighted Pegg’s financial vulnerabilities and emotional entanglement with Saunderson, emphasizing the breach of trust that tarnished her professional reputation. Pegg’s involvement with Saunderson, both during his incarceration and post-release, raised serious concerns about her ethical conduct as a senior prison governor.
