Bus Driver Dismissed After Confronting Thief Who Stole Passenger's Jewellery
A London bus driver has revealed how he positioned himself between a distressed passenger and the man who had just stolen her necklace, only for the thief to throw the first punch during the confrontation.
Mark Hehir was dismissed from his role driving buses for Metroline in the capital following an incident where he pursued a thief, recovered stolen property, and ultimately knocked the perpetrator unconscious after what he describes as an attempted assault.
Tribunal Upholds Dismissal Decision
An employment tribunal in Watford has upheld Metroline's decision to sack Mr Hehir for gross misconduct, despite the driver's claims that he was acting in defence of himself and a vulnerable passenger.
The tribunal heard that Mr Hehir chased the thief approximately 200 metres from the bus after the man "ripped" a necklace from a female passenger's neck near Harlesden High Street in north-west London. After a brief struggle, the perpetrator handed back the jewellery, but the situation escalated when he returned to the bus location.
"I stood between them because she's nervous," Mr Hehir told LBC's Tom Swarbrick. "I stood between them and next thing the guy, as is clearly shown on CCTV, went to throw a left punch and I met him with a right punch and clearly he went down."
Police Assessment Contradicts Employer's Position
Despite Metroline's dismissal decision, a police case review concluded that Mr Hehir had "used force which was proportionate and necessary in the circumstances in the defence of himself and the female passenger."
The tribunal findings revealed that Mr Hehir:
- Punched the thief once, rendering him unconscious
- Restrained the perpetrator for nearly thirty minutes until police arrived
- Was arrested alongside the thief but subsequently released without charge
Mr Hehir described the thief's initial actions: "He brushed past the girl and he noticed probably that jewellery on her neck and he just snapped the jewellery off her neck and ran off the bus down the street."
Political Support and Public Backing Emerge
Shadow justice minister Dr Kieran Mullan has launched an online petition calling for Mr Hehir's reinstatement or compensation, arguing that "law-abiding people should not be punished for standing up to thugs."
The MP stated: "This decision sends a deeply troubling message that those who do the right thing will not be supported. Most people would see his actions as an instinctive attempt to defend someone who had just been robbed."
Public support has manifested through a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over £800 for the dismissed driver, who now works as a barman at a friend's establishment in Wembley.
Company Maintains Safety Protocol Stance
A Metroline spokesperson defended the company's position, stating: "The tribunal has upheld the dismissal as fair. The claimant breached protocols designed to keep staff and passengers safe, which is our priority."
Mr Hehir reflected on his split-second decision during the incident: "You have seconds to think, so I'm going 'I'm not letting this guy get away', you know, because you hear about it so often where there's people on tubes, trains, buses – they're opportunists and they wait for these people just to keep the guard down and they strike and I just... I wasn't gonna allow it."
The driver expressed scepticism about the thief's intentions, noting: "Any guy in particular that's going to rob a person is not going to come back two minutes later and apologise to the girl for robbing them."
Dr Mullan added broader context to the case: "People using public transport have seen how often people get away with anti-social behaviour and crime and an increasing retreat by bus drivers. I understand why and this sort of thing will make it even harder for them."
