A bus driver with an unblemished 11-year record was sacked after being accused of damaging a car with a punch during an alleged road rage incident.
Yusuf Sissa was said to have left a bus load of passengers and allegedly punched the car by holding either a key or a ring on his hand after complaining the vehicle had “cut him up” on a London road.
A woman, aged 20, who was driving the car had only just passed her driving test, East London Tribunal was told.
Mr Sissa made a legal claim for unfair dismissal against his former employers, Arriva London North.
Tribunal Judge Goodrich rejected Mr Sissa’s claim in favour of the firm.
Arriva London North alleged the “road rage” incident took place in Woolwhich Manor Road, London and that part of the incident was recorded on CCTV.
The father of the car driver said: “This middle-aged driver who was 6ft tall, left his bus, came to my daughter in a threatening manner and damaged the driver’s door of my daughter’s vehicle with a punch with a Mad Max mentality. She had only just passed her driving test.”
He also said his daughter later contacted the police.
Mr Sissa, who was based at the firm’s Dartford Bus Garage, was sacked for misconduct following an investigation. He denied damaging the vehicle, however, and said there had been no proof that he had been responsible.
He alleged he had been bullied and pressured into making statements at an internal hearing and claimed he had been spoken to in a “horrible way.”
“I would not have expected a manager to speak to staff in that way,” he said.
He also alleged the firm acted against him because of his race, being of Somalian origin.
Arriva London North denied the allegations and said the dismissal had been justified.
