Prison governor guilty of misconduct after relationship with drug boss 'Jesse Pinkman' who gifted her £12k Mercedes

8 April 2025, 15:21

A prison governor has been found guilty of misconduct after engaging in an illicit relationship with a drug dealer who went by the name “Jesse Pinkman” and gifted her a £12,000 Mercedes.

Kerri Pegg, 42, was seen as a “star” within the Prison Service, quickly rising to become a governor at HMP Kirkham in Lancashire.

However, following her illicit relationship with gang boss “Jesse Pinkman”, real name Anthony Saunderson, her career is in ruins.

The 42-year-old was found guilty of two counts of misconduct and one count of possessing criminal property at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday.

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During her trial, it emerged that Pegg had used Saunderson’s involvement in the Beating Alcohol and Drug Dependency programme at the prison as a cover for spending time with the drug boss.

But even members of his gang grumbled that their boss was spending too much time with Pegg and away from his wife and “work”.

Judge Graham Knowles told Pegg a prison term was “inevitable”, but bailed the defendant to the court building while a sentencing date is arranged either later on Tuesday or at a later date.

Described in court as “blonde and bubbly”, Pegg was accused of not “playing by the rules” by beginning her relationship with Saunderson, known in the criminal underworld as “Jesse Pinkman”, the meth-dealing character from TV’s Breaking Bad.

Her criminal relationship with Saunderson was discovered after a pair of size 10 flip flops and a toothbrush were found in Pegg’s apartment, carrying Saunderson’s DNA.

It emerged that the drug dealer had been visiting her apartment while on early release granted by Pegg.

The court heard that on April 6 2020, Saunderson received a message saying “car her for ya brid 12 quid or work” with an image of the Mercedes attached.

“12 quid” means £12,000 while work is in reference to drugs.Just two days later, he arranged for “17 packs” to be sent to Manchester to pay for the car.

Prosecutor Barbara-Louise Webster said: "Her downfall was two-fold, the first, despite having a good income, she lived beyond her means.

"She spent all her income and more, incurring debts and she had county court judgements made against her.

"As a consequence, she became vulnerable and open to exploitation.

"The second was that she became emotionally and personally involved with a serving prisoner, Anthony Saunderson and later accepted an expensive car, a Mercedes C class, which was paid for by him out of his proceeds of criminal activity ie trading in drugs."

From the beginning of Pegg’s time at Kirkham, concerns were raised about her close relationships with prisoners.

Some reported her spending an inappropriate amount of time in her office with Saunderson.

In October 2018, she requested he be released on temporary license.

While she didn’t have authority to approve this request, she stepped in and did so anyway.

Following this she was moved to another jail and soon became duty governor at HMP Lancaster Farms

Pegg denied all charges against her and will be sentenced at a later date.