In one of the UK’s most disturbing recent scandals within the prison system, a female prison officer has admitted to a six-month affair with a convicted rapist—and was spared jail time despite smuggling contraband and attempting artificial insemination behind bars. Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington, 29, engaged in a sordid relationship with Bradley Trengrove, a prisoner serving a 13-year sentence for rape and sexual activity with a child.
The affair took place at HMP The Verne, a men’s prison in Dorset. Austin-Saddington, who said she was driven by a desire for a “stable life,” has since publicly expressed shame over the relationship. Yet the leniency of her sentence—largely due to medical issues—has drawn outrage and reignited concerns over corruption and vulnerabilities within the prison service.
The Affair Behind Bars
The affair between Austin-Saddington and Trengrove began subtly, with frequent conversations that eventually turned flirtatious. It didn’t take long for their relationship to evolve into physical encounters. According to court testimony, the pair engaged in up to 40 sexual episodes, often in prison workshops and empty storage rooms.
Their communication was constant. Austin-Saddington smuggled in a mobile phone for Trengrove, allowing them to exchange explicit messages and even discuss having a child together. The phone was also used to help coordinate their meetings and conceal the affair from other staff members.
This relationship, far from being a fleeting lapse in judgment, was calculated and prolonged—lasting for over six months. And while it may seem like a bizarre romance, its implications were far more sinister: a complete breakdown of the professional boundaries expected in correctional institutions.
Who is Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington?
Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington began working at HMP The Verne in July 2019. She was not new to controversy; internal investigations had already flagged her for inappropriate conduct with inmates. Still, no formal action was taken, allowing her to continue her duties as a prison officer in close contact with male prisoners.
Austin-Saddington has described her own life outside of work as “chaotic” and says she viewed Trengrove as someone who offered stability—despite his convictions. Her background, including medical challenges, personal trauma, and a lack of institutional oversight, have all been highlighted as contributing factors in her descent into criminal misconduct.
Smuggling, Sex, and Artificial Insemination
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping revelation came when Austin-Saddington disclosed her attempts to become pregnant by Trengrove. After becoming pregnant once and suffering a miscarriage, she allegedly tried to conceive again through artificial insemination—smuggling a syringe filled with his sperm into the prison.
This shocking attempt, described in court as “a grotesque violation of prison protocol,” further demonstrated how far the pair had gone in their delusional attempt to build a life together while he remained incarcerated. The incident exposed significant flaws in the supervision and security measures at HMP The Verne, which failed to detect or prevent these actions for several months.
The Trial and Sentence
Austin-Saddington was eventually caught, arrested, and charged with misconduct in public office and conveying a prohibited item (a mobile phone) into prison. During her trial, she pleaded guilty and admitted that her actions had endangered the safety and reputation of the prison service.
Despite the gravity of her offenses, the court issued a two-year suspended sentence. The primary reason cited was her deteriorating health—she suffers from a spinal condition that has left her largely wheelchair-bound. Judge William Mousley KC acknowledged the seriousness of her crimes but concluded that immediate incarceration was “neither proportionate nor appropriate” given her condition.
While some have expressed sympathy for her physical and mental struggles, many view the suspended sentence as a troubling precedent—one that may signal leniency for crimes that deeply compromise public trust in the justice system.
