An HIV+ Melbourne man who knowingly spread HIV to men at orgies he organised has been sentenced to more than 18 years' jail. Behind bars: Michael Neal Michael Neal, 50, bragged to friends of his 'conversion parties', and even wore a genital piercing designed to make it easier to transit the virus. He had been given warnings by health authorities - which were then criticized in Australian mainstream media for not acting sooner to prevent Neal's HIV spreading. On Friday, County Court judge David Parsons sentenced Neal to 18 years and nine months and prison, reports the AAP. At his five-week trail last year he had been found guilty of 15 charges, including attempting to infect another person with HIV, rape and procuring sexual penetration by fraud. "You sought to be your own version of the grim reaper," Judge Parsons told Neal at his sentencing, adding that a clear message needed to be sent to the community with this first-of-its-kind prosecution.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Monday, 19th January 2009 - 10:12am