A bus driver in London has been terminated from his position after pursuing and physically confronting a thief, as determined by a recent tribunal.
Mark Hehir, who claimed to be viewed as a „hero“ by the public, was operating the 206 bus for Metroline, which services the route between Wembley and Maida Vale in north-west London, when a man stole a necklace from a passenger.
Incident Details and Aftermath
Hehir chased the thief and successfully retrieved the stolen necklace. However, the thief returned to the bus to confront Hehir and allegedly initiated the physical altercation by throwing the first punch. During the tribunal, it was stated that Hehir acted in self-defense and restrained the man for nearly half an hour.
Metroline argued that the thief had returned to the bus to apologize, asserting that Hehir’s response constituted an „excessive use of force.“ Both individuals were arrested, but Hehir was later released without facing any further police action.
Disciplinary Proceedings
The day following the incident on June 25, 2024, Hehir was suspended from his duties and summoned for an investigation. At the disciplinary hearing, he faced allegations of „bringing the company into disrepute by physically assaulting a passenger“ and „failing to protect his and his passengers‘ safety“ by leaving the bus unattended while chasing the assailant.
Hehir defended his actions by stating that he acted instinctively and had left the bus doors open with the handbrake engaged. A note from a detective presented during the hearing indicated that Hehir’s use of force was deemed „proportionate and necessary“ in defense of himself and a female passenger.
Findings of the Tribunal
Alina Gioroc, the operations manager who presided over the disciplinary case, expressed her belief that the thief had approached the bus with the intention of apologizing and shaking hands with the female passenger. Gioroc noted that when the man attempted to shake hands with Hehir, the driver pushed him away instead of stepping back, asserting that the man had not displayed aggression prior to this interaction.
Gioroc concluded that Hehir’s restraint of the man for nearly thirty minutes was „excessive and disproportionate.“ Ultimately, the tribunal upheld Hehir’s dismissal, stating that the disciplinary and appeal managers had reasonable grounds to believe he was guilty of gross misconduct, which fell within the acceptable range of responses for an employer in such circumstances.
Bildquelle: Bildquelle: Kevin Kandlbinder auf Unsplash
