Sacking of bus driver ‘shameful’

The sacking of a bus driver, who punched a thief that had stolen a necklace from a female passenger in Greater London, was ‘shameful and unjust’, according to the Shadow Minister for Justice, Dr Kieran Mullan, who has launched a petition to reinstate him.

Mark Hehir told a tribunal that he had acted in self-defence when driving the route 206 bus, which runs between Wembley and Maida Vale, in June 2024.

Bus operator Metroline told the hearing that Mr Hehir’s use of force was ‘excessive’, after the thief, who was shown on CCTV (closed-circuit television) to have thrown the first punch, was knocked unconscious.

Dr Mullan, who is the Member of Parliament for the East Sussex constituency of Bexhill and Battle, wrote: ‘As an MP, I can’t make a company act differently, but with public support we can shame them into doing the right thing.’