Man 'deliberately gave partner HIV'

Jamie Michael Richards, 34, of Highgate Hill in inner-city Brisbane, today pleaded not guilty in Brisbane District Court to intending to transmit a serious disease and unlawfully transmitting a serious disease due to sex with a 20-year-old man.

He faces an alternative charge of grievous bodily harm against the man, whom Mr Richards allegedly had a casual sexual relationship with.
Prosecutor Sal Vasta told the court there was a "certain attraction" when Mr Richards and the complainant, who was an apprentice hairdresser, first met at a Brisbane train station in mid to late 2003.

"They were always friends first and foremost ... who did sexual acts together," Mr Vasta said.

"They were never in a relationship."

He said the victim lost his virginity to Mr Richards and during their regular sexual encounters "there were times where they did not use a condom".

"There were a number of conversations about the use of condoms ... Jamie would say it was okay not to wear one because he'd never had a sexually transmitted disease," Mr Vasta told the court.

"He never mentioned anything about HIV or AIDS."

Mr Vasta said the victim also noticed Mr Richards was taking a lot of medication and herbal treatments.

He said Mr Richards' brother, who had moved into his unit to care for his "AIDS-stricken" sibling, broke the news to the victim in December 2004.

The court was told the younger man then cut off the relationship before starting to feel sick in January 2005.

Blood tests confirmed he was HIV-positive.

He then made a complaint to police.

Mr Vasta told the court Mr Richards had known he was HIV-positive since 1995 and had been advised by help services not to expose others to the infection.

The court also heard Mr Richards told police in 2003 that he had "full-blown AIDS and hepatitis C" while questioned over another matter.

Mr Vasta said Mr Richards still denied he had AIDS in a telephone conversation with the victim taped by police.