A saboteur is thought to have tampered with free condoms handed out at Cambridge University, putting students at risk of unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases.

A female undergraduate raised the alarm after spotting a tiny hole in the wrapper of a condom handed out by her college's welfare officer.

After checking the remaining condoms she found three of the six she had been given had been pierced.

The condoms, which have been handed out to large numbers of students, were obtained from Cambridge University Students' Union office, where they were kept in boxes in an unlocked cupboard.

Lectures for the term ended on Wednesday, meaning many students have gone home for Christmas unaware of the risk.

A female student from Newnham College, Cambridge, discovered that the condoms she had been given had been sabotaged

No one has come forward to claim responsibility, although furious students yesterday said they suspected an antiabortion group or religious organisation.

Similar attacks two years ago at King's College were attributed to the Cambridge Pro-Life Society. The group strenuously denied the claims at the time and has dismissed any involvement in this incident.



The sabotage was discovered by the third-year Newnham College student the morning after she used a condom with her boyfriend.

'The wrapper was on my bedside table and I saw a raised bump on the side. I held it up to the window and light streamed through,' said the woman, who asked not to be named.

Sabotage: The condoms were found to have tiny holes pierced in them (file photo)

'I almost fainted. It was horrible and so irresponsible. They don't know what they could be doing with someone's life.

'Who the hell could do such a thing? And how would they feel if their actions led to someone contracting HIV?'

The student has since visited the university clinic for contraception advice. She and her boyfriend have also had to be tested for STDs.

Other students said they were outraged by the incident. One undergraduate, who gave her name as Jenny said: 'I think they hope we'll become too scared to use CUSU condoms and this will stop us having sex but that's ridiculously naive.'

Christian Union vice-president Sarah Wilson denied any involvement, saying: 'This is nothing to do with what the Union does.'

Cambridge Pro-Life Society president Sam Corio also distanced her group from the incident. 'Because they increase the probability of unplanned pregnancies, damaged condoms also potentially contribute to the loss of unborn human lives,' she said.

Cambridge University Student's Union yesterday tried to play down the incident, insisting sabotage was not to blame.

President Tom Chigbo, 21, said: 'We received a faulty box from our suppliers about which we have already complained in the strongest terms.'

The manufacturer, Durex, denied there could be a production fault. A spokesman said: 'We have very strict quality control standards and are confident that these condoms will have left the factory in perfect condition.'