Former partners of 'active' HIV man urged to come forward

Glenn Mills in the Auckland District Court yesterday. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

The HIV-positive man charged with intentionally infecting people with the potentially lethal virus contacted dozens of women nationwide through internet and telephone dating sites.

Name suppression has been lifted from Glenn Richard Albert Mills, who is facing criminal charges in relation to seven alleged victims, six men and a woman.

Five of the men have tested HIV positive.

Two further charges were laid against the 40-year-old train driver in the Auckland District Court yesterday when suppression was lifted, bringing the total to 14 charges.

Police and health authorities want anyone who has had sexual contact with Mills to come forward and be tested for the virus.

Detective Sergeant Andy King yesterday said he was unable to comment as the case was before the courts.

But police earlier said Mills was diagnosed as HIV positive in May 2007 and led an "active sexual life" in Auckland and Wellington.

He allegedly searched for sex partners through internet and telephone dating services, posing as a 32-year-old.

The Weekend Herald understands Mills described himself on the internet sites nzdating.com and findsomeone.co.nz and on the telephone chatline Hot Gossip as a heterosexual seeking women.

He used several aliases.

Health authorities knew of allegations that Mills had infected sexual partners with HIV up to six months ago, but did not speak to police until a few days before the story broke on the gaynz.com website.

Officials from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service called a meeting with police on Monday, May 11, after being contacted by website staff three days earlier.

By the end of that week, police had started an informal inquiry and charges were laid a fortnight later after formal complaints from four men aged between 17 and 31.

Mills was treated by staff at the Auckland Sexual Health Clinic in Greenlane, as were some of the men he allegedly infected.

Public Health Act confidentiality rules prevent health professionals disclosing that someone is HIV-positive or could be spreading the virus.

But if medical staff believe a person poses a risk to the public, the public health service can be notified.

Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia, who is responsible for communicable diseases, has been briefed by officials on the HIV case.

Health practitioners and laboratories are required to notify a public health officer of Aids cases, but HIV is not a notifiable disease.

That could change under proposed amendments to the Public Health Act, said a spokeswoman for Ms Turia.

She would not comment on whether the law change would have prevented the case now before the courts.

Mills' alleged actions have angered the gay community, and prompted calls for vigilance in practising safe sex.

The chief executive of the HIV support group Body Positive, Bruce Kilmister, urged anyone who might have had contact with Mills to be tested.

He said Mills' alleged victims were mostly young men who were traumatised by what had happened.

Mr Kilmister said he was amazed the alleged behaviour had continued for so long.

"HIV-positive people have the added responsibility to not transmit the virus," he said. "And the best way they can do that is to have safe sex."

He said this was also true for anyone having sex.

"Most women think of the pill as the beginning and end of safe sex. It needs to be a message that goes right across the broad spectrum."

The Aids Foundation has also made more HIV testing and counselling services available.

The maximum penalty for infecting with disease is 14 years' imprisonment.

Mills was remanded in custody to appear again on July 1.

Anyone who wants to be tested can call 0800 HIV LINE (0800-448-5463).