**Prison Governor Sentenced for Ties to Notorious Gangster and Drugs Lab Operations**
A former prison governor once seen as a promising leader within the Prison Service has been handed a nine-year prison sentence after being found guilty of maintaining a personal relationship with an organised crime boss, and benefitting from the proceeds of a major drug network. Kerri Pegg, aged 42, saw her career in public service unravel after authorities uncovered her involvement with Anthony Saunderson, a high-profile Liverpool gangster nicknamed after TV antiheroes ‘Jesse Pinkman’ and ‘Tony Soprano’ by criminal associates.
During the high-profile trial at Preston Crown Court, jurors heard that Pegg, who had started her career full of potential, was entangled in the operations of Saunderson’s drugs empire. Pegg swapped her modest Honda Jazz for a luxury Mercedes C-Class, a vehicle allegedly paid for with 34 kilograms of illicit amphetamines, reflecting the scale and audacity of the criminal activities in question.
Police investigations revealed that Pegg was not only intimately connected to Saunderson, but also facilitated his movements from within the justice system itself. While serving as a governor at HMP Kirkham in Lancashire, Pegg approved Saunderson’s temporary prison release on at least one occasion, despite lacking proper authority. This direct breach of prison protocols highlighted the depth of her involvement.
Searches of Pegg’s flat in Orrell, Wigan, unearthed evidence that substantiated suspicions of a corrupt relationship. Authorities found designer clothing, expensive jewellery, and even personal items belonging to Saunderson, including a toothbrush and footwear, pointing clearly to his regular presence in her life. These discoveries painted a striking contrast to her official living means, as Pegg’s declared income failed to support the lavish lifestyle evidenced by her luxury possessions.
Investigators also found that financially, Pegg was under strain. Despite earning roughly £3,000 per month, she had accrued significant debts and had maxed out multiple credit cards, with only pennies remaining in her savings. Such financial vulnerability is considered risky within the public sector and is expected to be declared due to the potential for corruption—a rule Pegg had disregarded.
Saunderson, meanwhile, was no small player. While inside, he had run a self-styled rehabilitation programme aimed at beating drug and alcohol dependency, known as BADD, across multiple prisons—simultaneously, however, he headed a major operation producing amphetamines at a secret Deeside laboratory near the Wales-England border, alongside a storage facility in Aintree, Merseyside. Law enforcement ultimately linked Saunderson to industrial-scale trafficking following the infiltration of Encrochat, an encrypted phone network used by organised criminals.
Pegg claimed her relationship with Saunderson was purely linked to his involvement in the BADD programme. However, the court remained unconvinced, convicting her on two counts of misconduct in public office and one count of possessing criminal property. The trial highlighted how even respected public servants can be drawn into corruption under certain pressures and influences.
Reacting to the sentencing, Phil Copple, chief executive of HM Prison and Probation Service, condemned Pegg’s actions as a betrayal to both the public and honest colleagues, reinforcing the message that professional standards must be rigorously upheld throughout the justice system. “The criminal misconduct in this case lets down the public we serve… but also demonstrates our determination to take robust action against those who fail to achieve proper professional standards,” he remarked.
Following her arrest and resignation from the Prison Service, Pegg attempted to rebuild her life, working for a charity in the homelessness sector. But the consequences of her misconduct underline the far-reaching damage caused by breaches of public trust—especially by those entrusted with the keys to justice and rehabilitation.
This case serves as a sobering reminder of the need for integrity and vigilance among those appointed to positions of authority in the UK’s correctional system. It also demonstrates that the reach of organised crime can extend into even the most secure institutions, requiring continual scrutiny from regulatory bodies and law enforcement.