Calls grow for sacked London bus driver to get his job back
A petition has launched as an MP demands action over tribunal decision
A bus driver in London who lost his job after confronting a thief to return a stolen necklace is at the centre of a petition calling for his reinstatement.
Mark Hehir, a Metroline bus driver, was dismissed from his role after he chased down a man who had stolen a necklace from a passenger aboard the 206 bus in north-west London.
After recovering and returning the necklace, the thief attempted to punch Mr Hehir, who retaliated and knocked him unconscious.
Despite being called a “hero,” Mr Hehir was sacked for gross misconduct—a decision upheld by an employment tribunal in Watford.
Metroline’s spokesperson said protocols ensuring staff and passenger safety had been breached, adding “The tribunal has upheld the dismissal as fair.”
The tribunal’s findings revealed Mr Hehir held the thief for nearly half an hour until police arrived. Both men were arrested at the scene, but Mr Hehir was later released.
A police case review deemed his actions as “proportionate and necessary in the defence of himself and the female passenger.”
Petition launched
Shadow justice minister Dr Kieran Mullan has joined calls for Mr Hehir’s reinstatement, launching an online petition demanding his employer reconsider the decision or provide compensation.
Speaking about the matter, Dr Mullan said, "Most people would see his actions as an instinctive attempt to defend someone who had just been robbed. He should be reinstated immediately or compensated.
“This is not justice. Mark Hehir stepped in to protect a passenger and recover her stolen property and for doing the right thing and putting himself in harm's way, he lost his job.”
Dr Mullan added the dismissal sends a concerning message regarding how acts of courage are treated in situations such as these: “People doing the right thing, for the right reasons, when so many look the other way need our support—not the rule book being thrown at them.”
Fundraiser gathers support
Mr Hehir’s supporters have also rallied through a GoFundMe fundraiser, currently raising nearly £600 in donations.
While Dr Mullan emphasised his limited power to directly influence Metroline, he urged the public to back the petition and show their support for Mr Hehir.
"As an MP I can't make a company act differently, but with public support we can shame them into doing the right thing. Mark's courage ensured the safety of his passenger and put a wrong right," Dr Mullan said.