A boss who suspected a worker of theft decided to make an example of him - and throw political correctness out of the window at the same time.

Simon Cremer and three of his employees allegedly wrestled Mark Gilbert to the ground, tied his hands behind his back and bundled him into a van.

They then drove him to the town centre where he was made to wear a sign naming him as a thief. He was paraded in front of startled shoppers before being frogmarched 350 yards to the police station, where he was arrested on suspicion of theft.

Some might approve of the medieval approach to justice, which is reminiscent of the days when suspects were named and shamed by being sent to the village stocks or tarred and feathered.

But the stunt backfired on the accusers after they were arrested on a range of charges, including false imprisonment.

The extraordinary scene unfolded on Friday last week when 39-year-old Mr Gilbert was dragged out of the van in a busy shopping street in Witham, Essex.

He was then escorted by Mr Cremer and another man around the corner to the police station. Slung around his neck on a piece of cardboard was the message: 'THIEF. I stole £845. Am on my way to police station.'

Mr Cremer, 41, who runs In House Flooring of Witham, said that Mr Gilbert had been at the company for six months and earned around £1,000 a week.

He has been accused of taking a business cheque and making it out to himself. Mr Cremer was contacted by the Cash Converters company after the cheque apparently bounced.

Mr Cremer said he had no regrets about the way he treated his employee, despite having to spend a night in a police cell and being given three months' notice to move by the owner of the warehouse where his business rents space.

Full article and pics here.

What do you think?

Frankly, I think such punishment is much better deterrent for future acts and much more cost effective (in every way). Of course, there remains that pesky issue of "innocent until proven guilty" and public taking law into their own hands.