Hairdresser jailed for deliberately infecting string of men with HIV
Scots predator given eight years is already serving life for similar offences in England
‘Considerable fear and anxiety’
AN unemployed hairdresser has been jailed for eight years after attempting to infect men with HIV in a ‘devious’ campaign to spread the potentially deadly virus.
Daryll Rowe, 27, had unprotected sex with men he met through dating app Grindr, despite knowing he was infected with the condition.
He yesterday admitted four counts of culpable and reckless conduct when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Rowe, who is serving a life sentence for ten similar offences in England, was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.
His sentence in Scotland will run concurrently with his sentence in England.
He had sex with his victims at his then home in the Stenhouse area of Edinburgh, and denied having the virus despite being asked if he did before sleeping with them.
When urged to use protection, Rowe either lied about using a condom or ‘sabotaged’ them to infect others, the court heard.
During the hearing the court was also told Rowe had even assured one man that he was ‘safe’ before sex, accusing his victim of being paranoid.
Passing sentence, Judge Lady Scott said Rowe had ‘grossly breached the trust’ of the men involved, one of whom was later diagnosed with HIV.
She added: ‘The nature of your conduct and the utter callousness shown by you make these offences very serious.
‘On one occasion you were asked to wear a condom and you falsely assured your victim you would, but did not.
‘You grossly breached the trust of the men involved and caused them considerable fear and anxiety.’
She said it had been a traumatic experience for the man who contracted the virus, adding: ‘This has had a profound effect upon his life.’
The court heard Rowe was told about medication and advised of the risk of transmission through unprotected sex after being diagnosed with HIV in April 2015.
Advocate depute Jo McDonald said Rowe was told he carried a high amount of contaminated cells, but a doctor later noted that despite this, he was ‘not keen to take HIV treatment’. He was then advised to use protection.
Despite the warning, Rowe had intercourse with four men between June 9 and September 28, 2015. His first victim found out after the pair had sex that Rowe had HIV but he tested negative for the virus.
But Rowe’s second victim contracted HIV after having unprotected sex. Rowe had assured the man he had used protection.
Mr McDonald said: ‘He [the victim] stated that had he known the accused was HIV positive he would not have had sex with him at all – protected or unprotected.’
Rowe went on to have unprotected sex with a third man in August 2015 and a fourth man the following month.
Both victims later told police they would not have consented to sex had they known Rowe was HIV positive.
Rowe continued to commit similar offences between October 2015 and December 2016, in the city as well as in Brighton, Sussex, and Northumberland.
He was eventually snared following ‘significant’ inquiries by police in Scotland and England.
Police Scotland Detective Chief Inspector Martin MacLean said: ‘Daryll Rowe is a devious and deceptive predator who has shown absolutely no remorse for the extensive suffering and distress he has caused his victims.
‘Since April 2015 he was fully aware of his illness yet refused treatment that would ensure his own health and safeguard his sexual partners from the risk of infection.
‘Rowe would then go to great lengths to ensure he put partners at risk of contracting HIV, demonstrating the callous nature of his character.’
At Brighton Crown Court in Sussex last month Rowe was jailed for life after a six-week trial. He was found guilty of five counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and five of attempting to do so.
He is the first man in the UK to be found guilty of intentionally spreading the virus.
Procurator fiscal for sexual offences Kenny Donnelly said: ‘There is no doubt that Daryll Rowe knew what he was doing and had no regard for the safety of his victims or the consequences of his actions.
‘The fact that his victims had the courage to come forward to report what had happened to them has allowed us to bring him to justice.’