//…but It still remains a fact that presumption of innocence is a legal principle//
Indeed it is, as I said, Zacs.
But it isn’t a fact that the perpetrator did not commit the crime (unless he didn’t). It doesn’t suddenly become a fact only when he is convicted by a court. It is a fact from the moment the deed is done.
//and under the presumption of innocence, the legal burden of proof is on the prosecution.//
Indeed it is. But once again we’re talking about legal principles, not fact.
//Do you know that in this particular case, MG has committed an offence?//
Nope. I don’t even know who he is. The first I'd ever heard of him was this morning when reading the BBC article linked to the OP.
//Would you not agree that if someone is charged with an offence, that person is innocent unless proven otherwise?//
No I wouldn’t agree, Corby. They remain “Not Guilty” until proved otherwise. Only if they did not commit the offence are they innocent. Otherwise they are guilty; if they are convicted by a court they are found guilty.
The point I’m trying to make (and I’ve tried so many times before on here and obviously failed miserably ) is to differentiate between fact and legal convention. If I take a bottle of vodka from the shelf in Sainsbury’s, put it under my coat and walk out without paying, (and for the pedants, with no permission to do so and with no intention of making payment) I am guilty of theft. There may be no evidence to charge me: nobody may have seen me and there may be no CCTV footage. But I am guilty as soon as I walk out of the shop. The goods have been taken, a theft has occurred and I committed it. That is a fact and even though I’m never going to be charged with the offence, that fact remains. Of course if there is evidence to show that I did steal the goods, I may be prosecuted and it is for the prosecution to prove their case to the court’s satisfaction. When the proceedings begin I enjoy the “presumption of innocence” until the prosecution prove otherwise. If they don’t I am declared not guilty of the offence. But I’m still guilty of theft – it’s just that haven’t been found guilty by a court.
To secure a criminal conviction the court (quite rightly) places a very high burden of proof on the prosecution and the defendant (equally quite rightly) enjoys the benefit of any reasonable doubt there is. But life is not solely about criminal convictions. Civil courts insist on a much lower burden of proof (“on the balance of probabilities” – or more likely than not). It is open to individuals who have been harmed by criminal action to seek redress through the civil courts. This happens quite often. But particularly pertinent to this case, in 2018 Stephen Coxon, who had been acquitted of rape (the case was in Scotland and the jury found the case “Not Proven”), was sued by his victim. The judge found that he had committed the rape and ordered him to pay £80,000 in damages.
It is open to any employer to take a view on their employees' behaviour, regardless of any verdict in the criminal courts associated with it. That’s what I suggested they do and either side can then seek remedy through the civil courts if necessary.