A former senior firefighter claims he was discriminated against after being sacked for allegedly throwing away a disabled man’s phone at the scene of an incident.
John Linden has appeared at an employment tribunal this week to argue he was unfairly dismissed by the Norfolk Fire Service following an altercation with a YouTube blogger while attending a blaze in Lynn.
The former station manager, who served for 32 years, was caught on camera appearing to throw Jimmy Evans’ phone over a hedge after they got into an argument at Harding’s Pit in South Lynn.
The Lynn News published footage of the incident back in summer 2023.
It led to an investigation and a disciplinary hearing that resulted in Mr Linden, from Dersingham, being fired for misconduct.
But at the tribunal, he claimed he was unfairly dismissed, believing he was discriminated against on account of his post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis.
He told the hearing he had suffered from PTSD after years of physical abuse as a child and following traumatic incidents he had dealt with while serving as a firefighter.
Other claims against the fire service include that it failed to make suitable adjustments and breached his contract.
Speaking at Norwich Magistrates’ Court, where the tribunal is being held, the firefighter claimed his diagnosis led him to react in a “heightened manner” towards Mr Evans, who produces videos under the name of Wheelz Media.
The firefighter approached Mr Evans, warning him not to go any closer to the fire due to the risk to his safety – but Mr Evans refused and “became aggressive”, Mr Linden said.
What followed was a “split-second” reaction by Mr Linden, who says he deflected Mr Evans’ swinging arm while still seated in his mobility buggy which resulted in his phone being lost.
However, Gus Baker, an expert barrister in employment and discrimination law representing the fire service, argued Mr Linden’s reaction would have been a “normal” response to Mr Evans’ behaviour and not driven by his PTSD.
The case is set to continue this week.
