Driver is ‘banned’ from buses for ‘one mistake’
Norfolk Green buses at King's Lynn bus station
A bus driver sacked by Norfolk Green after failing to pay in his takings in line with its policy claims he has also been banned from its buses.
But the company says he has not been formally banned, although its drivers can refuse travel to anyone who makes them feel intimidated or threatened.
Jobless Paul Maskell, 47, of Feltwell Road, Southery, who has been driving buses for 20 years and for the last three years with Norfolk Green, says losing his job after just one mistake has ruined his life.
While driving buses on the 37 and 43 services for Norfolk Green he got a thank you card from a passenger who left her handbag and £100 in it on his bus but got it back because he had handed it in at the office.
And he also earned praise for ensuring his passengers had got to their seats and sat down before pulling away from bus stops.
But the bus company called in police after Mr Maskell was £809 short when paying in his takings in June. He was arrested and questioned and spent a day in a police cell.
In July, he appeared at West Norfolk Magistrates’ Court in Lynn, where he denied stealing the money from the company at Lynn.
The case was adjourned until November 5 for trial. But then the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charge.
A CPS spokesman said a further witness statement had been received from the company that it did not have at the time Mr Maskell was charged.
She said: “In the light of that statement we decided there was no longer sufficient evidence so we discontinued the case.”
A Norfolk Green spokesman said: “Paul Maskell agreed with us that he didn’t pay in money owed to Norfolk Green as per company policy.”
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Monday 20 May 2013
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