Posted on 07/05/2005 4:56:02 PM PDT by Cowman
A judge yesterday threw out a claim by a man who, the court heard, used "electric underpants" to give himself fake heart attack symptoms. Marcus Danquah, 41, of Kirton Lindsey, Lincolnshire, had sought up to £300,000 in damages after claiming that a wrongly wired £34.50 Morphy Richards 42400 Comfi Grip iron gave him a heart attack. But the company alleged that he had wired the iron so that it became live and would give an electric shock to anyone who touched it. It also claims that he used the "amps-in-his pants" device in his underwear to create false reading on a hospital heart monitor.
When Mr Danquah said he was ill in hospital and failed to turn up for yesterday's hearing at Birmingham county court, Judge Donald Hamilton threw out his claim, which dates back almost six years, and ordered him to pay substantial costs. But he said Mr Danquah might be able to make his claim again if he explained his absence from court. The court had heard that Mr Danquah's wife, Joanne, 32, found him collapsed in their kitchen the morning after he bought the iron in October 1999. He ran up £18,000 in legal bills before he parted with his solicitors. Mr Danquah has since fought the case himself and may lose his home. Morphy Richards' barrister, Howard Stevens, made an application for costs "because this claim was of the most dubious nature." Judge Hamilton said that Mr Danquah had not provided a consistent account of what happened with the iron. "This has to be taken into account along with the evidence of the defence," he added. "The defence case is most unusual in that they claimed Mr Danquah attempted to defraud them. "The iron was ... liable to give anyone who touched it an electric shock. They say it was OK when it was sold and it had been interfered with afterwards. He is a alarm engineer with some experience in dealing with wiring. "The claimant was taken to Lincoln hospital and was put on an electrocardiogram which might have suggested that he suffered a heart attack." The judge said that Morphy Richards claimed Mr Danquah had interfered with the equipment with the help of a hidden device. "They say it was hidden in his underpants and that the claimant referred to this device as his 'electric underpants'. "The defence included evidence from an eminent cardiologist who said that the results in the hospital were produced as a result of interference. Some numerous other experts and factual witnesses have said that the entire claim is a sham." The judge said solicitors had received a document late on Sunday from Mr Danquah in which he said he had been admitted to hospital with depression and chest pains. "The preparation of that document at that hour suggests to me that Mr Danquah is not unwell." He added: "In my judgment Mr Stevens' [the barrister's] application is well founded."
OOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!
I will never cease to be amazed at the lengths to which some people will go in an attempt to win the litigation lottery
shocking, just shocking I tell ya
I just have a sneaking suspicion that this guy got a charge out of this thing
ELAINE: You got a comfort problem there?
KRAMER: No, I think these Jockeys shrunk.
ELAINE: I thought you wore silk underwear.
KRAMER: No, no, n--Well, you know, I wore 'em for about a month but I couldn't stick with it. No, I need the secure packaging of Jockeys. My boys need a house!
Crotchilation imagination.
LOL
Hmmm...I wonder if he got the idea from one of the old Planet of the Apes flicks...
Someone should give him an electric wedgie!
Absolutely shocking!
Truly revolting!
A story for Current Events.
My boys need a house!
Tightie whities.
Electric Underpants.
I think that was the name of a psychidelic band from SF in 1967.
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