A courageous bus driver who was fired for apprehending a thief has revealed that he spent six days in intensive care due to an infection contracted from the apprehended individual.
Mark Hehir, aged 62, was terminated by his employer, Metroline, after chasing and catching a robber who had stolen a passenger’s necklace in London in June 2024.
Recently, an employment tribunal upheld the bus company’s decision to dismiss him, leading to widespread public support through a petition for his reinstatement. Both the victim and the Justice Secretary have expressed their backing for Mr. Hehir, with David Lammy praising him as a “hero” deserving of support.
In an interview with LBC, the ex-bus driver disclosed that he ended up in intensive care after developing a severe bacterial infection from punching the thief during the incident. He underwent two hand surgeries and narrowly escaped losing his hand due to the infection from the thief’s teeth.
Mr. Hehir claimed that a week after being released from the hospital, Metroline summoned him to their depot and informed him of his immediate dismissal without pay on July 15.
Reflecting on the repercussions of losing his job almost two years later, he described the experience as “19 months of hell,” highlighting the loss of income and pension as significant impacts.
Katalin Kaszas, the passenger whose necklace was stolen, recounted how Mark chased the thief off the bus after the robbery, promptly returning with the stolen necklace while the thief stood close by. She narrated that the thief attempted to approach her, prompting her to seek help from Mark, who intervened and struck the thief.
Following the altercation between Wembley and Maida Vale, both Mark and the passenger were arrested but later released with no further action. A note from a detective presented at the employment tribunal confirmed that Mark’s use of force was justified under the circumstances.
Efforts to support “Mark Hehir – the hero bus driver” through a GoFundMe campaign have raised over £36,000 of the £40,000 target, with the funds intended to directly benefit him without any conditions.
The Mirror has reached out to Metroline for their response to the situation.
