A bus driver was sacked after he left his bus full of passengers at the side of the road and went to get a coffee from a café. Ian Brown left the bus unsecured with the engine running and passengers on board to use the toilet and get a hot drink.
Mr Brown, who was already under caution for poor attendance, made the bus late as a result of the incident, an employment tribunal heard.
When called by the controller asking why the bus was late, Mr Brown said he was being bullied, refused to keep driving and told the controller where the bus could be picked up from.
CCTV later showed Mr Brown running a red light as he was distracted reading the letter inviting him to a disciplinary hearing, reports MyLondon.
At a misconduct hearing he was formally sacked before an appeal by Mr Brown failed. An employment tribunal concluded that Mr Brown's claim of unfair dismissal failed.
Employment Judge Tuck KC wrote: "I am satisfied that dismissal was within the range of reasonable responses. Furthermore, I would have found that the claimant contributed to his dismissal by 100 per cent."
