Postman too ‘knackered’ to help OAP lying in snow is sacked from job with Royal Mail

A postman has been sacked after he left an OAP lying on the ground when she slipped on ice.

Thomas McCafferty’s callous actions sparked a huge backlash when it was first reported.

Lying in the snow on a cold winter day, McCafferty failed to provide even a token gesture of assistance - and it was left to a passing delivery driver to step in.

Patricia Stewart,72, had a fall outside her home in Bainsford, which is in the Falkirk area.

She had fallen after she went to pick up a parcel from her frontdoor which McCafferty - who was not her regular postman - had left.

Mrs Stewart felt ‘a bit dizzy’ having just had her covid vaccine the day before, causing her to fall from the top step to the ground.

The postman stood over the pensioner and ignored her calls for help, telling her that he was too tired to help.

But he was captured by a neighbour’s doorbell camera - and footage went viral.

In the footage he looks down at her and can be heard saying “I can’t help you pal”, mentioning something about being “knackered” and then walked away.

Delivery driver came to OAP’s aid

The OAP was eventually assisted by Hermes delivery worker, Karolina Domska, 22, who was in the area and she provided the assistance the postman failed to deliver, staying with her and calling for help from neighbours.

Now ten months later, the postman has been let go from his position at the Royal Mail.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm that the individual concerned has left the business. We are sorry for the distress this incident has caused.”

It was the second apology Mrs Stewart has received - hours after the incident a representative from the Royal Mail visited her at her home to offer his apologies.

At the time of the incident, they said: “Royal Mail expect the highest standards of behaviour from our people while out on deliveries and collections at all times.

“We regularly remind our postmen and postwomen of the important role they play in their local communities.”

‘You wouldn’t just leave anyone like that’

Mrs Stewart said at the time: “I was really upset, the postman had left me there lying on the ground in the snow and ice.

“You just wouldn’t leave anyone like that.

“If it hadn’t been for the people who helped I would have been lying there for hours.

Mrs Stewart’s family were appalled at the postman’s lack of help.

In February, her niece, Sheryl Harkins said: “When I was told about this I couldn’t believe it was true – I thought there must be some misunderstanding. Then when I saw the video footage I was just disgusted.

"It's no way for someone to treat another human being.”

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