HIV infection case means 'scary time' for many

Glenn Mills. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

A case involving an HIV-positive man charged with infecting others with the disease has aroused plenty of fear, the New Zealand Aids Foundation said today.

Five more men and two women have gone to police since a photograph of the man accused of deliberately infecting people with HIV was published in June.

Glenn Richard Albert Mills appeared in the Auckland District Court this morning facing 14 new charges relating to men and women who he is accused of intentionally infecting with HIV. Mills now faces 28 charges relating to 14 complainants.

Mills stood in the dock with his hands behind his back during this morning's brief proceedings.

According to police charge sheets, the new victims of Mills include two women and five men aged between 18 and 28 years of age.

He has been remanded in custody and will next appear in September. A pre-depositions date has also been set down in November for the first set of charges.

Aids foundation executive director Rachael Le Mesurier said she knew it was "a scary time for many people'.

She said the numbers coming to the foundation to have HIV tests had gone up by 40 percent since Mills' name was released.

"We're very aware that some of these people may have had contact with the accused,' she said.

"We're also aware that a lot of people have realised that they might have put themselves at risk with somebody else.'

Ms Le Mesurier said the Mills case was unusual.

While Mills is alleged to have knowingly infected, or tried to infect others, it was far more likely for people to get HIV from partners who didn't know they had the disease.

Ms Le Mesurier said everyone who was concerned about the possibility that he or she might have contracted HIV should get tested, either by the foundation or by a GP.

"The best answer is to use condoms and to get yourself tested as regularly as you can,' she said.

Crown prosecutor Phillip Hamlin said a date has also been set down prior to the November hearing for legal arguments to be heard. Mr Hamlin told the court that Mills' defence lawyer wants complainants to be available for examination.

The Herald understands Mills registered himself as a "heterosexual seeking women" on dating websites such as nzdating.com and findsomeone.com, as well as phone chat line Hot Gossip.

He was originally granted name suppression but since it was lifted and he was named by the media last month, HIV support organisations have received a deluge of calls.

The charges Mills faces include wounding or attempted wounding with reckless disregard and infecting with a disease and attempting to infect with a disease.

At his last appearance on July 1, police prosecutor Ross Burns said more complainants had come forward.

Police have said Mills was diagnosed HIV-positive in May 2007 and had allegedly had an active sex life with men and women since.

- NZ HERALD STAFF/NZPA