He injured me during sex so I was more vulnerable to HIV infection
Ex-partner claims ‘control freak’ Scot gave him virus on purpose
A SCOTS hairdresser accused of infecting lovers with HIV deliberately injured a partner during sex in order to transmit the disease, a court was told yesterday.
Daryll Rowe, 26, from Edinburgh is accused of forcing the young man into rough sex to make him vulnerable to infection after they met on Tinder.
Rowe is charged with four counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and six counts of attempted grievous bodily harm in relation to 10 men.
Lewes Crown Court has heard he demanded unprotected sex with his partners, claiming to be free of the virus, or tampered with the condom when they insisted he used one.
Yesterday, the court heard how one complainant had only had one previous partner and considered Rowe to be his boyfriend.
In his taped police interview, the alleged victim said he had trusted Rowe and consented to sex without a condom.
He told officers he believed Rowe deliberately injured him during sex to have a better chance of transmitting the virus.
He said: “He seemed really relaxed about what he had done and I honestly felt that he had done it on purpose because it’s easier to contract something that way.”
The complainant said that, weeks later, when he started to fall ill with symptoms consistent with exposure to the virus, Rowe tried to stop him from leaving his flat and returning to his family. The young man told the court: “He was nice to me – giving me baths, he was really into reflexology and he was massaging my hands and feet.
“Looking back, it’s almost like he was keeping me away from home.”
When Rowe eventually let him return home, he became angry and abusive.
One text read: “You’re a f***ing psychopath. I can do much better than you. I’m way, way out of your league.” The complainant told police: “It’s almost like he was doing it on purpose to make me want him. Making me feel a certain way. A bit of a control freak.”
A few weeks later, the complainant was diagnosed as HIV positive.
The court has previously heard that Rowe’s first alleged victim received a message which read: “Maybe you have the fever. I have HIV LOL. Oops!”
The trial continues.
ALLEGED VICTIM