Vic woman traumatised by HIV infection

A woman diagnosed with HIV after having sex with a man who didn’t disclose he had the virus is traumatised and fears dying a horrible death, a court has heard.

The Victorian woman said she was left feeling humiliated, embarrassed and ashamed after contracting the virus, the Victorian County Court was told on Monday.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she was traumatised, suffered nightmares and was plagued by thoughts of dying a horrible death, the court heard.

A 51-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endangering a person for failing to disclose his HIV-positive status to the woman before having unprotected sex with her five years ago.

He also pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the woman’s sister.

The man went home with the two women and another friend following a night out drinking in Melbourne’s south on April 28, 2007, Prosecutor Susan Borg told the man’s pre-sentence hearing.

He had sex with the 46-year-old woman before indecently assaulting her 42-year-old sister in another room, Ms Borg said.

After contracting a fever several weeks later, the 46-year-old woman later took a blood test which confirmed she was HIV positive, Ms Borg said.

Ms Borg said experts would testify there was a strong likelihood the woman had contracted the disease from the accused man.

Defence barrister Nola Karapanagiotidis called for her client to be given a wholly suspended sentence, saying the man had pleaded guilty at an early stage, showed genuine remorse, had good rehabilitation prospects and suffered mental health issues.

The hearing is continuing before Judge Mark Gamble.

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