Pilot suing MoD for £200,000 claims heavy body armour ruined his private life

A FORMER RAF helicopter pilot who flew in peacekeeping missions in Mali is suing the Ministry of Defence for damages, claiming the heavy body armour he had to wear ruined his personal life.

Louis Warburton was forced to wear the 3st 2lb (20kg) body armour when flying Chinook helicopters during the UN-backed Operation Newcombe, which he says pressed against his thighs, damaging his sciatic and femoral nerves, causing intense pain and numbness.

He was medically discharged from the RAF and says that the pain has affected his daily activities, including his sex life with his partner.

Documents submitted by his legal team at Irwin Mitchells state: “[His] continuing symptoms curtailed his ability to undertake his normal RAF duties, and he has, and remains, restricted in his domestic activities. He has difficulty sleeping due to ongoing pain and his activities of daily living, including his personal life with his partner, have been adversely affected.”

Mr Warburton claims MoD negligently failed to provide suitable and reasonably safe personal protective equipment.

He also claims the MoD negligently provided armour that was so poorly adjusted it hindered his movements and function as a pilot, and did not allow him full vision of the instrument panel.

It is also alleged that the MoD failed to carry out a risk assessment and failed to act on his complaints.

Mr Warburton, 30, a former Flight Lieutenant, is suing the MoD for more than £200,000 compensation.

The 30-year-old, from Hook, Hampshire, joined the RAF in 2010 and was deployed to Mali in early 2019.

He reported his condition in January 2019 and was medically downgraded the following July 2019. On his return to the UK later that year, he said he could not carry out many domestic activities.

An MoD spokesman said: “The health and safety is our foremost priority on both training and operations. It would be inappropriate to comment further as this is an ongoing case.”

Whitehall sources said that all compensation claims are considered on the basis of whether or not the MoD has a legal liability to pay compensation and that “where there is a proven liability compensation is paid”.