In the UK a man has been standing trial for failing to tell several sexual partners he had HIV, while also failing to take the medication that may have stopped the virus from being passed to seven young men.
Adam Hall, 43, is accused having unprotected sex with young men he met online and in bars in the Newcastle area, without telling them he was HIV positive, while knowing he was infectious.
Hall, from Washington, denies raping five men and seven counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.
People who have HIV and take the prescribed medication can usually achieve an undetectable viral load, but Hall who was diagnosed with the virus in 2010 stopped taking his medication, leading to accusations he was deliberately trying to infect his multiple sexual partners.
In closing arguments in a UK court last week his legal team argued that because the condition was “eminently manageable” and “no longer the death sentence” the charges against Hall should be viewed as not a serious offence.
Hall’s barrister Craig Hassall KC told the jury that his clients viral load had fluctuated over time, and they should ignore ascertains from the prosecution that his client had “spiked” his viral load with the intention of infecting others.
“It is simply not true to say throughout this period of time Adam Hall knew he had a viral load and was highly infectious,” the barrister said.
He also challenged the description of his client’s behaviour put forward by the prosecution who had suggestion that Hall targeted the men, arguing that on some occasions the young men had been introduced to Hall by third parties.
