Charity worker dragged from bed at 3am and locked up for 11 hours after police bungle over plasma TV stolen from Tesco

A charity worker was hauled from his house by police at 3am and thrown in a cell for 11 hours after Tesco staff wrongly identified him as a shoplifter.

Simon Brasch, 42, had been visiting his local store when another shopper managed to walk out with a 37in plasma television.

His vehicle registration was handed to police by mistake and he was arrested in front of his terrified family despite protesting his innocence.

Officers searched his home, including his two young sons' bedrooms, before he was marched away.

It was not until the following afternoon that it was realised there had been a case of mistaken identity and he was released.

"It was like a terrible, surreal dream," said Mr Brasch, a database manager for the national charity Help the Hospices.

"It was my birthday and I should have been spending the day with my sons. Instead, I was left traumatised and feeling like a criminal.

"My elder son saw me being taken away by police and it had a shocking effect on him. He still asks if I am going to have to go away again."

The nightmare began on April 16 when Mr Brasch visited the Tesco near his home in Chelmsford, Essex.

He heard the registration number of his Ford Mondeo being called out over the Tannoy system and went to the customer services desk.

He was told his vehicle had been involved in a minor scrape in the car park and went outside to swap details with the other driver.

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At the same time, security staff had been alerted about a man who had stolen a TV.

In the early hours, police began banging on a sleeping Mr Brasch's front door and he hurriedly pulled on some tracksuit bottoms while his wife, Joanna, 44, comforted their sons Callum, nine, and Jake, six.

"I was told I had stolen a TV from Tesco and I was arrested," he said.

"When I told them I didn't have the television they just laughed.

"I realised security staff at the store had made a mistake but even though I explained what had happened I was led out to a police car."

Mr Brasch was booked into Chelmsford police station where he refused to allow his fingerprints, DNA or photograph to be taken.

He was ordered to hand over his shoelaces in case he used them to harm himself, then left for the rest of the night in a cell.

"I kept saying I was innocent but the police just laughed at me and said, "Everyone says that".

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Mr Brasch, who was freed at 1.45pm, said Essex police had since told him a security guard mixed up his details with those of the suspected shoplifter.

He is considering legal action against Tesco for his wrongful arrest.

Essex police said they had apologised to Mr Brasch and "sympathised with what must have been a truly upsetting experience".

He was arrested at the "earliest opportunity" - 3am.

A spokesman said: "Officers had previously been tasked with effecting the arrest but were called away for another job."

The alleged shoplifter has not yet been found.