Sunderland man jailed for at least 23 years for deliberately infecting partners with HIV
Sunderland man jailed for at least 23 years for deliberately infecting partners with HIV
Tom WilkinsonThu, April 23, 2026 at 4:36 PM UTC
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Adam Hall has been sentenced for rape and causing grievous bodily harm (Northumbria Police)
A 43-year-old man has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 23 years, for deliberately infecting sexual partners with HIV and raping some of his victims.
Adam Hall was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday.
Hall, from Donvale Road, Washington, Tyne and Wear, was convicted in March of seven counts of causing grievous bodily harm and five counts of rape following a three-and-a-half month trial at the same court.
He became just the second person in the UK to be convicted of intentional transmission of HIV.
Hall deliberately infected younger partners with HIV after meeting them in bars in the Newcastle area or on the dating app Grindr.
His victims were aged from late 20s down to just 15, with a schoolboy finding out he had contracted HIV in a phone call from health professionals moments after he stepped off a school bus.
Two of the victims were just 17 and 18.
Judge Edward Bindloss deemed Hall “dangerous” before jailing him for life with a minimum term of 23 years and 42 days.
Adam Hall was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday (PA)
Hall was diagnosed with HIV in 2010 and took medication to keep his viral load down.
But in 2016, medical professionals became concerned that was not adhering to his treatment, making him infectious to others he slept with.
Despite being warned, Hall had unprotected sex with men between 2016 and 2023, in some cases raping them.
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The Crown Prosecution Service said that Hall failed to disclose his HIV status to those men and his victims only found out after being tested themselves.
In her prosecution opening speech in November, Kama Melly KC said: “The defendant knew from being repeatedly told about the risks of what he was doing, if he did not keep to the medication, if he did not stick to his treatment regime, and continued finding, repeatedly, young and often vulnerable males for sexual activity.”
After Hall was convicted, Amy Dixon, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “From the point of his initial HIV diagnosis, Adam Hall was wholly aware of the risks to himself and others if he failed to adhere to his medical treatment.
“Despite this, he repeatedly pursued sexual activity with his victims without disclosing his HIV status.
“In some cases, Hall performed these sexual acts without the consent of the victims, applying verbal or physical force to get what he wanted.
“It is clear from his actions that Hall knew what he was doing and fully intended to cause the harmful lifelong consequences that his victims now face.
“We would like to praise the bravery of these men in coming forward to provide evidence and we hope that the conviction of Hall today provides some measure of justice for each of them.”
Hall was also convicted of a drugs offence and failing to unlock his phone for police.
Detectives are keen to trace other people who may have had sex with Hall, as he travelled to different parts of the country, including County Durham, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Manchester, and London, to meet men.
Detective Chief Inspector Emma Smith said: “We would encourage anyone who may have health concerns to seek advice and support from your local sexual health services.”
Alice Wiseman, director of public health for Newcastle and Gateshead, said health services were ready to offer support to people concerned about prior contact with Hall.
She said: “There is no judgment and your health and safety is our priority.”
Source: “AOL Breaking”
