'Bus driver who punched thief made me feel safe'

A woman whose necklace was stolen by a bus passenger who was then knocked unconscious by the driver has said she is "extremely grateful" to him for intervening in what was a "terrifying" situation.

Katalin Kaszas spoke to BBC London at Parliament earlier on Tuesday, where the driver Mark Hehir - who went on to be sacked over the June 2024 incident - had been invited by shadow justice minister Dr Kieran Mullan.

Kaszas described how the thief snatched her necklace as she boarded the 206 bus in north-west London.

Hehir, who left the bus to chase the thief, has previously explained that he struck him in an act of self-defence after the thief tried to hit him.

Hehir was dismissed by his employer, Metroline, for gross misconduct, a decision that went on to be upheld at an employment tribunal.

Kaszas, who explained how the events unfolded, said she had initially thought the passenger was about to push her off the bus.

The 46-year-old said she "didn't even realise" her necklace had been snatched from her neck until she looked down.

"Your brain doesn't catch up that quick. You're still trying to understand what's happened," Kaszas said.

She said after Hehir chased the thief and returned with her necklace, the man then came back towards her.

"I was screaming, telling him to stay away from me," Kaszas said, adding: "His face was bad news. It was very, very scary at that point."

Kaszas described how Hehir then stepped between her and the man. "He kept the guy back," she said.

She added: "I'm a single mum. I'm the only one my daughter has. If something happens to me, it happens to her.

"He made me feel safe and since there is no Mark on the buses, I don't feel that safe any more because I know the next driver isn't going to step off the bus to protect me because he's going to lose his job."

CCTV evidence played at the tribunal showed the thief throwing a punch at Hehir.

"I noticed him making a left swing, so on instinct I retaliated with a right," the 62-year-old said.

Both Hehir and the passenger were arrested over the altercation, which happened between Wembley and Maida Vale.

Hehir, who is originally from County Limerick and now lives in Wembley, was later released and told he would not face further police action.

The day after the incident, on 25 June 2024, Hehir was suspended from duty and told to attend an investigation. He was later dismissed.

The subsequent employment tribunal heard from the Met Police, which said Hehir's response had been "proportionate and necessary in the circumstances".

A Metroline spokesperson said: "The Independent Employment Tribunal has upheld the dismissal as fair.

"The claimant breached protocols designed to keep staff and passengers safe, which is our priority."

Mullan said he was "shocked" that Hehir ended up being sacked for "stepping in" to prevent a theft.

"That's not good for our society," he told BBC London.

Justice Secretary David Lammy told the House of Commons on Tuesday that Hehir "is of course a hero and deserves our support".

He added: "I'm following this case very closely."

As for Kaszas, who is from Neasden in north-west London, she said she felt guilty about what happened and had repeatedly apologised to Hehir following the tribunal ruling.

"I know it's not my fault," she said, "but I still feel guilty because I'm in the middle of everything."

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