[Update] UK: Man extradited from Jamaica for alleged ‘reckless’ HIV transmission jailed for 3 years

A man who was deported for being in the UK illegally following an investigation into him infecting a woman with HIV has been jailed 14 years after the offence.

X was arrested in February 2011 on suspicion of deliberately infecting a woman in 2009 but was later released due to a lack of evidence. He was deported to Jamaica nine months later, but extradited back to the UK in 2022 after new evidence came to light.

He was jailed for three years after pleading guilty at Chester Crown Court. Cheshire Police said the 39-year-old was diagnosed with HIV in 2005 and had been prescribed medication to minimise the risk of transmission to others. The force said X, who was from Jamaica, was not regularly taking the tablets when he had unprotected sex with a woman in 2009 and failed to tell her he had HIV.
The woman later tested positive for HIV and X fled Cheshire.

‘Forever marred’

A force representative said X was arrested in February 2011 after a public appeal to find him, but the case was later closed as he refused to answers any questions and “despite a detailed investigation, officers were unable to gather sufficient evidence to charge him”.
He was subsequently deported from the UK in November 2011 after it was found that he was in the country illegally.
The representative said shortly after that deportation, the woman asked for the case to be reopened and officers worked with medical experts to establish when the woman was infected.

They said a “number of genetic links between the strain of HIV that the victim had been diagnosed with and that of the offender” were also identified.

As a result, a charge of grievous bodily harm was brought against X in February 2020 and he was extradited back to the UK in 2022.
Speaking after sentencing, Det Sgt Emma Myers said the woman would “live the rest of her life forever marred by the actions of X”.
“It has taken more than 12 years to reach this point, and having supported the victim throughout the investigation, I have seen first-hand the pain and suffering that she has endured, both physically and psychologically,” she said.

“X’s actions have also affected her relationships with others and she no longer trusts men.
“While no sentence will ever be enough, I do hope that the fact that X is now behind bars and has been held accountable will provide her with some closure.”

X, 39, was extradited to the UK in November over an incident in 2009

X, 39, appeared via videolink at Chester Crown Court, sitting at magistrates’ court, on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to one count of Section 20 assault inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH) in connection with an incident in Runcorn in 2009. Cheshire Police revealed on November 4 last year that X had been extradited to the UK from Jamaica on November 3 and arrested at Gatwick Airport.

X was subsequently charged with Section 20 GBH. Runcorn CID had appealed over Scott’s whereabouts in 2011 as part of their investigation.

In Chester on Wednesday the case was adjourned to obtain an updated victim personal statement for sentencing on Tuesday, April 4.

Judge Simon Berkson vacated a provisional trial date previously fixed for May and expected to last three weeks, and he reminded the court of an anonymity order protecting the identity of the victim.

Enquiries are also to take place over how long X has spent in custody both in the UK and in Jamaica prior to extradition as well as sentencing guidelines.

Anna Pope appeared for the prosecution and Khurram Arif for the defence.

X, 39, was arrested at Gatwick Airport in November and charged with GBH.

A man accused of knowingly infecting a woman with HIV will face a court trial next year.

X, 39, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday morning via videolink where he spoke to confirm his identity. X faces one charge of Section 20 assault causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) over an incident alleged to have occurred in Runcorn in 2009.

He was due to enter his plea on Friday but no arraignment was taken. Legal counsel and Judge Michael Leeming agreed on a provisional trial date of May 2, 2023, with a three-week estimate.

A timetable was fixed for prosecution and defence statements. Further case management will take place on January 30.

X was remanded in custody. The ECHO was advised by the court that January 30 is when a plea may be taken.

Judge Leeming made a court order granting the complainant anonymity, to last indefinitely. Anna Pope appeared for the Crown, in person, and Khurram Arif for the defence, by videolink.

X was extradited to the UK from Jamaica at the start of November and arrested at Gatwick Airport, before being charged by Cheshire Police.

X, 39, was extradited from Jamaica last night and appeared in court in Warrington this morning.

A man has appeared in court accused of intentionally infecting a woman with HIV.

X, 39, was extradited from Jamaica on Thursday night and arrested after landing at Gatwick Airport. He was subsequently charged with Section 20 assault inflicting grievous bodily harm.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said the allegation relates to an incident in Runcorn in 2009. At North Cheshire Magistrates’ Court in Warrington on Friday, X was remanded back into custody to appear at Chester Crown Court on Friday, December 2.

Adam Till appeared for prosecution and Khurram Arif for the defence, both via videolink.

The magistrates panel was chaired by Lynn Colter-Howard.