BRADLEY TRENGROVE AND CHERRI-ANN AUSTIN-SADDINGTON'S SHOCKING PRISON AFFAIR IN CORNWALL AND DORSET

A disturbing case involving a female prison officer from Weymouth, Dorset, who engaged in a clandestine and highly inappropriate relationship with a convicted sex offender from Cornwall has resulted in legal consequences, though she narrowly avoided imprisonment.

Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington, a mother of three, became romantically involved with Bradley Trengrove, a dangerous sex offender originally from Camborne, Cornwall. Their relationship began after Trengrove was transferred to HMP The Verne, a Category C prison located on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, where Austin-Saddington was employed. Over a period of approximately six months, the pair developed a passionate and illicit affair, which included frequent sexual encounters within the prison workshops, often when no other staff or inmates were present.

Records indicate that they engaged in sexual activity up to 40 times during this period. The relationship was so intense that Austin-Saddington, aged 29, became pregnant by Trengrove, although she later suffered a miscarriage. During their affair, she also took significant risks by smuggling a mobile phone into the prison, facilitating covert communication with Trengrove, which is strictly prohibited in such secure facilities.

In court, it was revealed that Austin-Saddington had saved Trengrove’s contact information under the label 'husband to be' on her mobile device. When Trengrove was transferred to HMP Channings Wood in Devon, she continued to maintain contact, visiting him under a false name. Her infatuation was so profound that she reportedly participated in a bizarre plan to conceive again by smuggling an empty Calpol syringe into the prison, intending to artificially inseminate herself with sperm that Trengrove had wrapped in cling film.

Despite her actions, Austin-Saddington was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office. Her health issues, which left her wheelchair-bound following a fall, were cited as reasons for the court’s decision to suspend her sentence.

Trengrove, who was already serving a 13-year extended sentence for the 2013 and 2014 sexual assaults involving a woman and a child, received an additional two years and three months for his role in the illicit relationship. The court heard that Austin-Saddington began her employment at The Verne in July 2019. She had previously received a written warning in 2020 for concerns over her professionalism and interactions with prisoners, with her probation extended due to suspicions of inappropriate relationships with two inmates.

In January 2022, Trengrove was transferred to the same prison where notorious sex offender Gary Glitter had served his sentence. It was around this time, in August 2022, that Austin-Saddington and Trengrove’s relationship intensified. Prosecutor Robert Bryan detailed that the pair exchanged numerous affectionate messages, with Austin-Saddington expressing her love and devotion, stating she would love Trengrove 'til my last breath' and that he was her 'reason for living.'

Mr. Bryan explained that their relationship moved beyond mere friendship, with meetings taking place in less populated areas of the prison workshops. The couple reportedly had unprotected sex between 30 and 40 times. In November, Austin-Saddington informed Trengrove she was pregnant, but she later lost the pregnancy at around eight weeks. Despite her pregnancy, she continued to seek contact, even smuggling in intimate photos while Trengrove was at Channings Wood in Devon.

On May 26, during a routine search, prison officers discovered that Austin-Saddington was not wearing any underwear and had an empty syringe concealed in her bra. She was immediately arrested. Her defense argued that her health issues, including a recent fall that left her wheelchair-dependent, should prevent her from being jailed. Her lawyer, Emily Cook, highlighted her physical condition, noting that she was found on the floor in February 2024 and was unsure of how she ended up there, emphasizing her ongoing health struggles.

Trengrove’s defense attorney, Nick Robinson, described the relationship as a 'genuine infatuation' and insisted that he was not attempting to corrupt Austin-Saddington. He emphasized that Trengrove was a good prisoner prior to the affair and that his actions were driven by emotional vulnerability rather than malicious intent.

Judge Jonathan Fuller KC acknowledged the seriousness of the misconduct, emphasizing the importance of maintaining high standards among prison staff to uphold public confidence and the integrity of the prison system. He stated that Austin-Saddington’s betrayal of trust was a serious and prolonged breach of her duties as a public officer. Recognizing her health condition and the circumstances, the judge suspended her two-year sentence for 18 months, adding 25 days of rehabilitation activity. Trengrove admitted to encouraging or assisting her in the misconduct, including the use of a mobile phone within the prison and transmitting images or sound without authorization.

Following the case, Detective Inspector Alastair Quinn of the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) reaffirmed the commitment to rooting out corruption within the prison system, stating that authorities would continue to pursue similar cases involving prison staff and inmates seeking to corrupt or exploit their positions.

In the courtroom, a photograph was displayed showing Bradley Trengrove, described as an 'exceptionally dangerous' sex offender, alongside the caption: 'Exceptionally dangerous sex offender Bradley Trengrove had sex with on-duty prison officer Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington.'