‘Hero’ bus driver reveals family’s reaction to his controversial dismissal

Justice Secretary David Lammy publicly backed him, stating he is ‘a hero and deserves our support’

A London bus driver, sacked after he chased down a thief to recover a passenger’s stolen necklace, has expressed his shock at an employment tribunal’s decision to uphold his dismissal.

Mark Hehir, 62, originally from Limerick but residing in north-west London, was fired by Metroline following the incident.

The ruling, initially reported by the Press Association, has sparked significant public outcry.

More than 125,000 people have signed a petition in support of Mr Hehir, while a GoFundMe page has raised over £28,000.

Justice Secretary David Lammy publicly backed Mr Hehir, stating he is "a hero and deserves our support".

Speaking this week, Mr Hehir revealed he had not informed his family back in Ireland about the case.

He told PA he seeks an apology and compensation for lost earnings from Metroline, but has no desire to return to his former role. On Wednesday, he told RTE Radio that the process had been lengthy and he was "dumbfounded" by the tribunal’s verdict.

Former bus driver Mark Hehir (right) and Katalin Kaszas, the victim of the robbery (James Manning/PA)

Mr Hehir said he is still processing the fallout and said that while he is an optimistic person, “it does set you back because that’s taken two years out of your life”.

Mr Hehirsaid he did not tell his family back in Ireland because he did not want them worrying about him, particularly his mother.

“I had to ring my sister last week and told her about it, they were kind of dumbfounded,” he said.

“She text me back and said ‘listen this thing is breaking worldwide, I think mam needs to know or someone is going to tell her.’

“As expected, my mum said she was absolutely, very, very proud of me but at the same time she thought that I should have rang her because she’s my mother, that’s why she’s there.

“But I didn’t want to bring it on her, because I know she would worry, if that makes sense.”

Katalin Kaszas, 46, said she felt "so guilty" after learning Mr Hehir had lost his job for confronting the thief.

Katalin Kaszas, the victim of the robbery, said Mark Hehir didn’t deserve to lose his job (James Manning/PA)

Recalling the incident, Ms Kaszas said: “When I was getting on the bus, a young man was getting off on the front door. He was running past me, I thought he was going to push me off the bus. He just grabbed my necklace and ran with it.

“I was like, ‘Why is he there, where is my necklace? Oh damn’. So that’s when I realised what just happened. I saw Mark running out, running after the guy.”

But after Mr Hehir gave the necklace back to Ms Kaszas, the thief returned to the bus.

Ms Kaszas said: “The guy was coming up… I was like ‘No, no, no, stay away from me, I don’t want to do anything with you’. He looked very, very shifty, I did not feel comfortable at all.

“I would say I even felt threatened, so I was backing away, and that’s when Mark realised that something is not right here and he stepped in.

“I don’t know where I was in my mind, I saw a punch flying, a guy hitting the floor, there was some blood and then I started to call the police.”

Asked for her reaction to hearing Mr Hehir had been sacked by Metroline, Ms Kaszas said: “I think it was unjust. I don’t think (Mr Hehir) deserved that.

“If he doesn’t do what he did, anything could have happened to me.

“I felt so guilty. I felt that it was my fault – I caused all this.”

open image in galleryKatalin Kaszas said she felt ‘so guilty’ after learning Mr Hehir had lost his job for confronting the thief.