The other option is the 'African way' which might be a long shot in the UK but it sometimes works around these parts. You get everyone and his dog to beg for your job back.
When I have to let guys go after they've been caught stealing, stabbed a fellow employee, assaulted a customer, deliberately set fire to one of my vehicles or disappeared without a trace for 6 weeks (take your pick, I've had all of these mentioned) what they do is they get everyone they know to plead for their job back. I have a stream of people through my office usually starting with the wife, then the wife with all the children (all in tears of course) then his parents (if still alive, if not then someone old pretending to be them) then his priest (even though he hasn't set foot in a church since he was baptised) then his sister(s) brother(s) nephews nieces and on and on it goes for weeks sometimes.