Overview

• Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington, a former prison officer at HMP The Verne, had a six-month affair with convicted rapist Bradley Trengrove, involving sexual encounters and a pregnancy that ended in miscarriage.
• She attempted to artificially inseminate herself with Trengrove’s sperm using a smuggled syringe during a prison visit in May 2023, leading to her arrest.
• Austin-Saddington pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office and was sentenced to a two-year suspended term due to her wheelchair-bound condition following a spinal stroke in 2024.
• The Ministry of Justice reported a record 19 prison staff misconduct charges in 2023–24, highlighting systemic issues within the UK prison system.
• The case has drawn attention to vulnerabilities among prison staff, with officials emphasizing increased anti-corruption measures to address rising misconduct.