HIV accused claimed he was victim of 'witch hunt'

A man accused of deliberately infecting seven men with HIV told police he was the victim of a "witch hunt", a court has heard.

Prosecutors have told Newcastle Crown Court Adam Hall knew he was HIV positive but did not tell sexual partners, did not use protection and did not take the drugs he should have to make him non-infectious.

Hall, 43 and from Washington, denies raping five men and seven counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, with prosecutors alleging he met men online and at bars in Newcastle.

In his police interview, read to jurors, Hall said he would tell sexual partners of his status at the "first chance".

Hall, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2010, was interviewed at Southwick Police Station in Sunderland on 19 September 2023 about the allegations made by one of the men, jurors were told.

The officer asked him if had deliberately or recklessly infected the man with HIV, to which Hall replied: "No."

When asked by the officer if he had HIV, Hall replied: "Not applicable, I don't need to answer that."

He went on to confirm he was HIV positive but refused to give any details about when he was diagnosed or what medication he was on, the court heard.

Hall, who the court previously heard was a dominant partner in sex, said he told the man of his HIV status "from day one of meeting him".

The officer asked Hall if he took "all reasonable precautions" to avoid transmitting the virus through sex, to which the defendant replied "yes", jurors heard.

He said he took a "little pink thing" of medication but complained he had not had any that day as police had seized it and not provided any for him to take, the court heard.

Hall said he usually took it in the morning but it was "too late now" and the police had put him in jeopardy by not providing his medication.

He was asked about what advice he had been given by medical professionals about having sex but said he had not received any.

The police officer asked him if he would like to talk about any guidance given about unprotected sex, to which Hall replied "no" and "I can't be bothered".

Hall was asked at what point he would normally disclose to a sexual partner that he was HIV positive.

"First chance," Hall replied, adding: "Prior to sex and generally straight away.

"I'm quite brash about it and if they don't like the fact I'm positive, there's the [expletive] door."

Hall then became irritated with the interview, the court heard, and said he was "going no comment from now on" because the officer was "going round in circles" and asking the same questions repeatedly.

"I may be blond but I'm not stupid," Hall said.

He then replied "no comment" to the majority of questions, but when asked about the account given by his alleged victim, Hall said the man had words put into his mouth by another person.

"It's a witch hunt," Hall said.

The officer asked Hall who had put words in the man's mouth, to which the defendant replied: "It could be any one of yous [sic] lot."

The trial, which began in November, continues.

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