Overview

• Kerri Pegg, former governor at HMP Kirkham, is accused of engaging in a relationship with inmate Anthony Saunderson and accepting a £12,000 Mercedes funded by drug proceeds.
• Prosecutors allege Pegg approved Saunderson's temporary release from prison in 2018 without proper authority, breaking established rules.
• Evidence presented in court includes DNA findings, financial records, and messages from the encrypted Encrochat system linking Pegg to Saunderson's drug trafficking activities.
• The court heard Pegg faced significant financial difficulties, including unpaid debts and county court judgments, which prosecutors claim left her vulnerable to exploitation.
• Pegg, described as a 'rising star' in the Prison Service, denies charges of misconduct in public office and possession of criminal property as the trial continues at Preston Crown Court.