A man who recklessly gave HIV to a woman has been jailed – nearly 14 years after he was reported to police.
Jermaine Scott, 39, was sentenced to three years in a hearing at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm, a charge used in STI transmission cases.
Scott, from Jamaica, was diagnosed with HIV in 2005 and had been prescribed medication that if taken would have limited the risk of transmission to others.
He and the victim had previously been in a relationship, which they rekindled in the summer of 2009.
At this time, Scott was not taking his tablets regularly. He did not tell the victim about his diagnosis and went on to have unprotected sex with her.
She became suspicious of his behaviour, and in October 2009, the pair attended a sexual health clinic. While at the clinic Scott provided a false name and false medical details to the health worker.
The victim subsequently tested positive for HIV and the pair ended their relationship. Following their split, Scott left the Cheshire area.
The incident was reported to Cheshire Constabulary in October 2009 and an investigation was launched to find Scott, leading to his arrest in February 2011.
Scott refused to answer any questions from police and officers closed the case after failing to gather sufficient evidence to charge him in relation to the incident. He was subsequently deported in November 2011 after he was found to be in the UK illegally.
Shortly after Scott’s deportation, the victim asked the case to be reopened. Detectives sought help from a number of medical experts who revealed that it was highly likely that the victim had been infected with HIV in the three months prior to her diagnosis, while she was in a relationship with Scott.
They also identified a number of genetic links between the strain of HIV the pair were both infected with.
In 2019 the additional evidence was presented to the CPS, who agreed to charge Scott with grievous bodily harm (section 20 assault) in February 2020. In November 2022, Scott was extradited to the UK to be charged.
Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Emma Myers, who led the investigation, said: “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 will now live the rest of her life forever marred by the actions of Scott. There is no cure and she will now have to take medication for the rest of her life. Scott’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 Scott is now behind bars and has been held accountable will provide her with some closure.”
