Senior officer to be 'arrested' for good cause

A senior officer from Devon and Cornwall Police will land herself in 'jail' in Exeter tomorrow – all in the name of charity.

Superintendent Sarah Sharpe is taking part in The British Red Cross’ first ever Devon Jail and Bail event where high profile ‘felons’ will be locked up for the day to help raise at least £4,000 for the charity’s work in the UK and overseas.

An Exeter City Football Club director’s box will be converted into a temporary jail cell for the event, during which local luminaries from the worlds of business and sport will be ‘arrested’ and held for the afternoon, charged with “refusing to ignore people in crisis”, the Red Cross’s campaigning message.

Those joining Exeter-based Supt Sharpe include Sir John Cave, the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Devon, Tim Darby, general manager of Exeter Racecourse and Carleen Kelemen, chairman of the Institute of Directors Devon and Cornwall.

On arrival at the football club, prisoners will be arrested, fingerprinted and have their mug shots taken before being charged by the Lord Mayor of Exeter, Councillor Rachel Lyons.

They will then be locked up in their cell and looked after by Red Cross volunteers, who will ensure they are fed and watered while taking the opportunity to tell them about their vital roles in the community, supporting people in crisis.

Prisoners will only be freed if they can each stump up the minimum bail requirement – a donation of £500.