­DODGY folk across Teignbridge need to be watching their backs next month as a string of ‘arrests’ are made in the name of charity.

Round-ups of ‘the usual suspects’ are being planned in a bid to boost the coffers of Torquay’s Rowcroft Hospice which looks after people throughout south Devon.

The charity, which is battling to regain financial stability following a drastic funding shortfall in 2016, has devised a novel Jail or Bail initiative aimed at generously-inclined inmates-to-be.

A host of likely offenders are to be taken in for questioning on March 31 when they will be tried and found guilty of their spurious crimes by a one-sided judge anxious to secure fines for a good cause.

All will be incarcerated in hospice ‘cells’ and kept behind bars until they find the £1,000 donation needed to release them.

They won’t lose their liberty completely.

All detainees will be allowed to keep their phones to negotiate raising the ransom figure. Social media channels will also be open to them.

Rowcroft’s community fundraising manager, Hayley Norrish, suggested those in the firing line could be anyone from regular late arrivals at work to those who don’t pull their weight on the tea-making rota.

Rowcroft trustee Richard Ward will be the legally unsound judge.

He explained: ‘When each of those arrested are brought into Rowcroft’s jail their mug shots will be taken and they will stand trial for their crimes.

‘I shall undoubtedly find them guilty – and then it will be up to them to see if they can raise their bail money!’

Rowcroft’s staff and volunteers will be on hand to offer some incentives to reach specific fundraising milestones – and remind them what a huge difference their efforts will make to local people living with life-limiting illnesses.

Richard said: ‘Jail or Bail is a fantastic opportunity for the community to make a real difference to the local hospice while being a great team-building exercise.

‘They can even consider entering a whole team or department into the venture to see who can raise their bail money the fastest.’

To discover more visit www.rowcrofthospice.

org.uk, email [email protected] or call 01803 210835. The deadline expires on March 17.