Rapist intentionally contaminated seven with HIV and raped 4 in collection of intercourse crimes
Adam Hall was found guilty of rape and GBH with intent with four victims and GBH with intent on three at Newcastle Crown Court. Jurors deliberated for 43 hours before returning their verdict
Adam Hall was found guilty of rape(Image: PA)
A rapist has been convicted of deliberately infecting seven men with HIV. Adam Hall was found guilty of seven counts of inflicting GBH with intent in relation to transmitting the virus and he was also convicted of raping four men.
Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court, who have been trying the case since November, found Hall guilty of a series of offences after almost 43 hours of deliberations. In relation to four victims, he was convicted of rape and GBH with intent. In relation to three men, he was found guilty of GBH with intent.
During the trial, Kama Melly KC said: “It’s the prosecution case that the defendant, with the intention to do so, inflicted grievous bodily harm. We say the manner in which he inflicted that grievous bodily harm was through the transmission of a virus normally referred to as HIV.
“We say Adam Hall was HIV positive, we say he had that at the relevant time, we say he had that at the time he had sex with each of the complainants for which that is relevant. We say he knew very well he was HIV positive and we say he intended through his actions to transmit that HIV to the complainants in this case.
“We say, in the case of each complainant where GBH is alleged, the defendant did, in fact, transmit that virus to them.”
Miss Melly added: “He will not, we anticipate, deny he had HIV at the relevant times. In many of the allegations, he will not dispute having anal intercourse with the complainants, nor will he dispute the fact they do now have HIV.
“However he will dispute the circumstances of sexual interaction. He will raise the issue of consent in respect of many of the sexual offences.”
Miss Melly added that while it is alleged Hall was well aware of his HIV status, he was not at all times taking the strict regime of treatment which would have meant the virus would have been at undetectable levels in his body. She added that while there have been advancements in the treatment of HIV, “it remains a serious and life-changing condition” and transmitting it amounts to really serious harm.
Miss Melly said: “The prosecution say none of the complainants were made aware the defendant had HIV.” Hall was found guilty of five counts of rape in relation to four men and seven counts of GBH with intent in relation to seven men.
He was also convicted of other charges, including supplying the drug GHB and failing to comply with a requirement to disclose a password for his phone. Hall was diagnosed with HIV in 2010 and, following this, healthcare professionals had repeatedly advised him about the important of taking his medication, both for his own welfare and to prevent the transmission of the disease to sexual partners.
More than 95% of people diagnosed with HIV in the UK are on effective anti-retroviral medication which reduces the amount of virus in the blood to undetectable levels. The requires taking prescribed medication daily.
In 2016, it became clear to medical professionals Hall had not been adhering to his treatment and the level of HIV in his blood was detectable at levels where it would have been infectious. Despite this, Hall went on to have unprotected sex with his victims between November 2016 and May 2023, in several instances against their will.
In each case, he failed to disclose his HIV status and his victims only found out after subsequently testing positive for the disease themselves. After the verdicts, 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. Hall provided one of his victims with the illegal drug GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and there were times when he would black out and awake to Hall raping him.
“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.”
Judge Edward Bindloss adjourned sentence until April 23 and Hall, 43, of Donwell, Washington, Tyne and Wear, was further remanded in custody.
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