John Linden was fired following the incident, ending his 32-year stint with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, during which time he managed a station in King’s Lynn
A fire chief was sacked for throwing a disabled Youtube blogger’s phone over a hedge, a tribunal heard.
John Linden was caught on camera appearing to hurl Jimmy Evans’ phone following an altercation at the scene of a fire. The clip filmed by Mr Evans, who uses a wheelchair and mobility buggy, showed the pair get into a verbal argument and captured Mr Evans, 46, he was entitled to stay where he was – about 100m away from the fire in King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
But Mr Linton appeared to snatch his phone, an act which led to an investigation and Mr Linton’s dismissal from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service for misconduct. He is now appealing against this decision, and appeared at an employment tribunal this week to argue his case.
Mr Linton, who served for 32 years, claimed he was discriminated against on account of his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis. Mr Evans, a self-styled journalist, said he believes the PTSD played no part in the firefighter’s decision to “kick off” at the scene in Hardings Pit on the banks of the Great Ouse River in June 2023.
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But Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told the firefighter claimed his diagnosis led him to react in a “heightened manner” towards Mr Evans.
And Mr Linden, a former station manager, told the hearing he had suffered from PTSD after years of physical abuse as a child and following traumatic incidents he had faced at work. Other claims against the fire service include that it failed to make suitable adjustments and breached his contract.
Mr Linden said he 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”. 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.
Mr Evans can be heard shouting, “get off my phone”, before Mr Linden is seen walking away and raising his arm over his head, seemingly to throw something.
Gus Baker, an expert barrister in employment and discrimination law representing Norfolk Fire Service, argued Mr Linden’s reaction would have been a “normal” response to Mr Evans’ behaviour and not driven by his PTSD.
He argued that anyone watching the video would find Mr Linden’s version of events “incredible and incapable of belief.” Mr Baker said: “You snatched his phone while he was responding to you.”
The video was key to Mr Linden’s dismissal, but he believes the evidence is inconclusive. Mr Evans describes his online blogging company as “auditing done on wheels”. The blogger was on a nearby public footpath and started to film smoke billowing over the path.
He was approached by John Linden, station manager at a King’s Lynn station, who ordered him to leave the area at 7.45pm on June 14, 2023.
Mr Evans, who said he was 100 yards from the fire itself, replied that he was entitled to stay where he was and the two men got into an argument.
He said he was not able to find the phone in the undergrowth and he said Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service had since bought him a replacement.
Mr Evans said in court on Thursday: “I don’t feel that his PTSD has anything to do with what happened that day. Yes, he may have PTSD from a number of different types of incidents and I agree with that.
“But I don’t think that’s the reason why he kicked off at me. I never wanted the guy fired, I just wanted an apology from him. All of this was about the fact he took my phone without my consent and threw it into a bush.”
Mr Evans said he had previously had a good relationship with the fire service and claimed he had already spoken with another officer at the scene.
However the tribunal heard that Mr Evans, who is not giving evidence at the hearing but said he had requested to, was known to be confrontational prior to the incident involving Mr Linden in 2023.
The tribunal continues.
