Worker sacked over takeaway driver punch-up wins job back
A worker at a pharma firm sacked after getting into a fistfight with a takeaway driver in a row over a late order has won his job back, having spent 15 months out of work.
In March 2025, a worker at Almac Pharma Services Ltd in Dundalk was sacked after getting into a physical altercation with a takeaway driver over a late food delivery. The driver became aggressive when the worker and his colleagues tried to explain that their break had ended, leading to the confrontation outside the company premises.
The worker, Stephen Loughran, was accused of gross misconduct and subsequently fired on April 7, 2025. However, an employment tribunal has now ordered Almac Pharma Services Ireland to re-employ Loughran within the next fortnight, as his dismissal was deemed unfair. The tribunal ruled that the disciplinary process was flawed, with issues such as the site manager's overreach, inconsistencies in witness statements, and the re-investigation of allegations during the disciplinary meeting.
Adjudicator Breiffni O’Neill emphasized that Loughran had no opportunity to disengage from the situation after being punched, as the confrontation was a single, continuous exchange lasting approximately six seconds. The tribunal directed Almac Pharma Services Ireland to re-engage Loughran as a production operator or in an equivalent post, starting from the following week, treating the period since his dismissal as unpaid suspension.
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