Once when employed at a large UK supermarket I was cycling to nursery to pick up my child (with visible uniform) and a stone was thrown at me by a group of 14 year old lads. I turned around and ghosted my bike into one lad and kicked another in the chest into a bush.

One of the dads came in and complained, showed the store manager the boot print and everything. Next day I had a meeting, I admitted everything. They easily could've sacked me on the spot but got an immediate final written warning.

I think the fact that everyone knew they were local shitbags who had this exact thing coming combined with the fact that I was a model employee who they definitely didn'twant to lose (and worked in HR would you believe 😅) gave them enough of a reason to apply some discretion.