A COMPUTER expert has won a substantial settlement after he was sacked when he told his bosses that he had the potentially deadly hepatitis C virus.

Simon Sharp, 32, was diagnosed with the virus five years ago after he was pricked with an infected needle.

In January last year, he secured a job as an IT manager with Sunderland accountant Jennings Johnson. But five months later, he received medical results indicating that it seemed likely he would develop liver cancer.

He informed his employers and asked for time off to recover from the shock. But when he returned to work after a week, the firm had employed some else and he was dismissed two weeks later.

On Monday, just before a tribunal in Newcastle, Jennings Johnson offered Mr Sharp an undisclosed settlement.

Mr Sharp, who now works for IBM in Edinburgh, said: "Their attitude was horrendous. It was like being sent to Coventry but much worse.

"When I got back to work after a week they had employed someone else.

"I am extremely happy to be vindicated and I can now move forward with my career."

Jennings Johnson refused to comment.