A casual worker who saw a student crushed to death in an horrific accident plans to sue for compensation.

Sean Currey, 30, was working in a ship's hold at Shoreham Harbour when fellow employee Simon Jones was fatally injured after his head was crushed in a crane's grab.

Mr Currey was told to clean the blood and remains from bags of stones in the hold so they could be sold, it has been claimed. After he refused he was sent home without pay, it is alleged.

Mr Jones, 24, was taking a year off from Sussex University when the accident happened in April 1998. His family is now hoping to bring charges against Euromin, which owned the quay or its general manager James Martell.

Mr Currey, who lives in Brighton, plans to sue Euromin for post-traumatic stress disorder. Solicitor Nina Ramsden, who is dealing with the case, said she had advised Mr Currey to pursue a claim for compensation for trauma suffered as a result of witnessing the accident.

If Euromin chooses not to dispute the claim it could be settled early this year But if the company contests the matter, it may not go to court for up to 18 months. Mr Currey said half of any money won would be split, with half going to Mr Jones's parents, Chris and Ann, who live in Banbury, Oxfordshire. He said the rest would be put into a trust fund for his children.

Euromin was criticised in the House of Commons by Scottish MP George Galloway in March last year. He told MPs and Ministers: "Sean Currey, who had nightmares for months afterwards, was asked later to clean the blood and remains of Simon off the bags of stones so that they could be sold.

"He was sent home for the day without pay for refusing to do so."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.