Four charged over 'thief parade'

FOUR men are to appear in court charged with false imprisonment after a colleague was paraded along a street with a sign saying “thief” around his neck.

Mark Gilbert's hands were tied and a sign hung around his neck saying “thief” before he was walked through Witham town centre to the police station after it was discovered he had tried to take £845 from his boss Simon Cremer's business.

Gilbert was arrested for theft, admitted the crime and was given a caution but now Mr Cremer, and three workers, have been charged with false imprisonment and will have to appear in court.

Mr Cremer, 44, from Little Maplestead, near Halstead said: “We have been charged with false imprisonment. I'm pretty gutted to be honest, I can't believe the police system.

“I cannot believe that someone can do that (steal money) and receive a caution and I've been charged with false imprisonment. I'm shocked.”

Gilbert, 39, from Colchester, stole a cheque from In-House Flooring where he worked, wrote it out for £845 and cashed it.

However he was caught out when the cheque, for a redundant business account, bounced and Mr Cremer was contacted about it.

Gilbert admitted the theft but was handed a caution by police and will face no further action.

Mr Cremer and three workers, who have not been named, answered bail at Braintree Police Station in Essex, yesterday, hoping they too would received cautions from police and were stunned when they were charged.

The businessman who has run In-House Flooring for eight years said: “It was a formality really, we signed a couple of forms and then they charged us and read out a court date in December.

“We were all extremely shocked and surprised, especially as the other party had been let go with a caution.”

Mr Cremer, who has no previous criminal record, has been told to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court in December.

Gilbert, a father-of-three, had claimed he took the £845 as it was owed to him in wages and his boss was too busy to write out a cheque - which was vehemently denied at the time.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: “Four men have been charged with false imprisonment in connection with an incident in Witham on Friday, September 26.

“A 44-year-old from Little Maplestead, a 23-year-old Witham and two men aged 22 from Tolleshunt D'Arcy and Tiptree have been bailed to appear before Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on December 10.

“A 39-year-old from Colchester has received a police caution in relation to a complaint of theft made in relation to this incident.”