Former RAF pilot sues MoD for £200k saying heavy body armour ruined his sex life

dailystar.co.uk:

RAF pilot is suing the Ministry of Defence for more than £200,000 after claiming his heavy body armour ruined his sex life. Louis Warburton, from Hook, Hampshire, said the protective clothing he had to wear while serving on peacekeeping missions in Mali had caused nerve damage and impotence.The 30-year-old, who flew Chinook helicopters in service of the UN-backed Operation Newcombe, claims the equipment weighed a staggering 20kg.Warbuton said the gear squeezed his thighs which led him to suffer from extreme pain and numbness due to his sciatic and femoral nerves being injured, reports the Telegraph.

The documents read: "[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."He also claimed that the equipment was so badly adjusted that it inhibited him in the execution of his pilot duties because it blocked his vision of the instrument panel.The ex-pilot went on to say the negligence of the MOD meant he was left without suitable and safe armour during his missions.

He also accused them of not carrying out risk assessments. It has been reported Warbuton alerted the department to his condition in 2019, which led to him being medically downgraded in July the year after.

Despite this, the 30-year-old claims he continued to have issues and when he returned to the UK later that year, he says he couldn't even sit on a chair without being in pain.