French charge PIP chief

A judge in Marseille placed Jean-Claude Mas, the founder and former chief of the now-defunct company, under investigation for "involuntary injury," his defence lawyer said today.

Mr Mas was released on €100,000 (£84,000) bail after being arrested on Thursday, and ordered by an investigating judge to stay in France and not meet any other former PIP executives, Mr Haddad said.

The suspect PIP implants were manufactured with industrial rather than medical-grade silicone.

They have been removed from the marketplace in several countries amid fears that they could rupture and leak the silicone - originally intended for use in mattresses - into the body.

The preliminary charges mean investigating magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but give them more time to probe to decide whether to recommend it go to trial.

Mr Mas reportedly told police in October that the victims were money grabbers and that he had "nothing to say" to them.

Around 40,000 British women have received PIP implants.

Insurance consultant Mia Ward from Doncaster said that Mr Mas was "not concerned about people's health - it was all about the profit."

She said the implants have caused sleepless nights and she is selling her car to raise the £3,000 needed for replacements.

Gemma Pepper from Darlington said she had felt "sick" until Mr Mas was arrested and it was "brilliant" that he faces charges over the scandal.

Coronation Street actress Vanessa Halstead who plays a cocktail waitress in the soap told The Sun she suffered "unbearable" pain before one of her PIP implants exploded.

Today, two more private firms agreed to remove the implants free of charge.

Transform, which has just over 4,000 patients in Britain and Northern Ireland with the implants, performed a U-turn after originally saying patients would have to pay.

The Hospital Group has also now said it will fund removal of the implants.

foreigneditor@peoples-press.com