BT engineer sues for brain damage

A former BT engineer is suing the British telco for over £100,000 of damages, after claiming years of using a mobile phone have left him brain damaged.

Stephen Corney began work as an engineer in 1985, but claims he started suffering from health problems after the company changed his analogue mobile phone for a digital handset. Corney's lawyers claim years of intensive mobile use have left him permanently brain damaged with short-term memory loss.

At a press conference in London yesterday, Corney described how he felt as if there was a 'steel band' tightening around his head when he was on the phone. He also claimed the area around his ear became hot and itchy when he was making long calls.

Corney's lawyers have issued a protective writ which allows them three months to collect medical and scientific evidence to back the claims.

BT refused to comment on the individual case but said it carefully monitors the risks involved in using mobile phones.

In December 1998, the telco agreed to back a World Health Organisation study into the links between the use of mobile phones and health problems, particularly cancer.