A homeless man has told how he could ‘hardly sleep’ after his sleeping bag was deliberately soaked by security guard with a mop and bucket outside McDonald’s.

Aaron McCarthy was sitting outside a Nationwide bank branch next door to the McDonald’s on Victoria Street, London, on Saturday night when he was asked to move by security guards, who he claimed became aggressive when he refused.

Footage uploaded to social media shows a security guard mopping the floor next to where the 25-year-old from Limerick, Ireland, was sitting, prompting furious backlash from passers-by.  

He later revealed he was unable to sleep because of the ‘stressful’ situation which left his bedding sodden and smelling of bleach.

McDonald’s have since sacked the security guards filmed in the video and apologised ‘wholeheartedly’ to Mr McCarthy. 

A McDonald’s worker was shamed today after mopping the pavement and soaking a homeless man’s sleeping bag in front of horrified customers

McDonald’s said it was ‘shocked and saddened’ after the incident and has since permanently removed the ‘third party security guards’ from its restaurants

‘The guy started mopping the floor and kicking my stuff into the water. It was disgusting,’ he told the Telegraph. 

‘I had to leave because it was so stressful, and I hardly slept the entire night because my bedding was all soaked.’

McDonald’s said in a statement that it was ‘shocked and saddened’ by the incident and has since permanently removed the ‘third party security guards’ from its restaurants.

The McDonald’s worker in the video was sacked on Sunday after mopping the pavement and soaking a homeless man’s sleeping bag in front of horrified customers.

Footage shared to social media shows a man in a high-viz jacket shamelessly wetting the area where a homeless man was camped out.

The video shows crowds erupt into fury as the man’s belongings are completely flooded.

Another security guard can be seen attempting to stop filming, as bystanders can be heard describing the situation as ‘outrageous’ and ‘bang out of order’. 

McDonald’s has since apologised for the incident that emerged on X today and said the workers, employed via a third party, have already been removed from the restaurant.

McDonald’s has since apologised for the incident that emerged on X today and said the workers, employed via a third party, have already been removed from the restaurant

The homeless man had been sitting outside a Nationwide bank branch – next door to the McDonald’s where the security guards were working.

Video shows the homeless man trying to move his sleeping bag and duvet away from the water as it seeped underneath.

He was heard saying ‘leave me alone’ as his belongings were kicked out of the way.

The man filming the incident is able to capture the ordeal, as another worker tries to stop him.

The man behind the camera can be heard saying: ‘I’m allowed to film. That is outrageous behaviour. 

‘You have to admit that is outrageous behaviour. You’ve covered his sleeping bag! That’s wrong and you know that. That is out of order. Bang out of order.’

In the background, the homeless man, getting increasingly distressed, asks the worker: ‘what have you done? I’m not even outside your shop!’

A crowd then quickly assembles as bystanders stand up for the man, with one even handing him some money.

As the scene gets increasingly hostile, a security guard can be seen coming out of the restaurant, asking the homeless man: ‘Oy why you causing trouble?’

But the crowd is quick to leap to his defence, with the man filming insisting: ‘What do you mean causing trouble? 

Footage shared to social media shows a man in a high-viz jacket shamelessly wetting the area where a homeless man was camped out

‘The guy’s just covered his sleeping bag in water. It’s winter! That is outrageous.’ 

‘You don’t need to mop it all over him’, a woman then says in the background.

Damon Evans, who posted the footage on X, tagged McDonald’s and asked: ‘Do you think it is acceptable for your staff to soak the sleeping bags of homeless people in the middle of winter (or any other time of the year)?

‘Disgusting behaviour. He wasn’t even outside your premises.’

McDonald’s UK has since responded to the incident.  A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We are shocked and saddened by this incident. 

‘The third party security guards involved have been permanently removed from our restaurants and the restaurant team has been reminded of the importance of treating all people with respect including vulnerable people both in the restaurant and within the wider community.

‘We would like to wholeheartedly apologise to the gentleman in the video and will work with the council to locate him and make amends, as part of our continued support for homelessness charities and organisations across London.’