York Evening Press financial director Stuart Watts is back at work after being arrested and jailed for 'crimes against Christmas'

He was one of a group of 'convicts' dragged through the ancient city streets to be jailed and bailed for charity.

Stuart was arrested in the paper's reception area and handcuffed by military police.

He was locked in the city dungeon for the day and only after paying the £697.70 that he'd collected for the Royal National Institute for the Blind was he released.

York town cryer John Redpath told onlookers: "Stuart Watts - so many crimes so little time. Last year you didn't enter into the Christmas spirit at all and this year you have said humbug to Christmas.

"I am arresting you until you cheer up."

Stuart was one of a number of well-known York people nicked and thrown into the city's dungeons in the name of charity.

Rachel Salt, RNIB regional fundraising manager for the York area, who organised the event, said: "We arrested eight people and carted them off to the York Dungeons. Then they were taken to the Grand Opera House where they were sentenced by a dungeon judge.

"So many people have given their time for free, the event really went well."

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