A senior firefighter with 32 years of service was sacked for throwing away Youtube blogger's phone at a fire scene, a tribunal has heard.

John Linden has appeared at an employment tribunal this week to argue he was unfairly dismissed by the Norfolk Fire Service.

Mr Linden, from Dersingham, Norfolk, was involved in an altercation with a YouTube blogger while attending a blaze in King's Lynn.

The former station manager, who served for 32 years, was caught on camera appearing to throw Jimmy Evans' phone over a hedge in June 2023.

Mr Linden and Mr Evans, who uses a wheelchair and mobility buggy, had been at the scene of a fire in Hardings Pit on the banks of the Great Ouse River, Norfolk.

A video filmed by Mr Evans, a self-styled journalist, showed the pair get into a verbal argument.

Mr Evans asserted he was entitled to stay where he was - about 100m away from the fire itself - before Mr Linton appeared to snatch his phone.

It led to an investigation and a disciplinary hearing that resulted in Mr Linden 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.

Norwich Magistrates' Court, where the hearing is being held, was told 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."

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", it was 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. "

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, who uses a mobility buggy, describes his online blogging company as "auditing done on wheels"."

The now 46-year-old 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 today (Sept 4): "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.