6:21PM, Fri Oct 19, 2012

Photographer Found Guilty Of GBH For Infecting Lover With HIV

By Ruth Holliday Location: Newcastle Crown Court

A Tyneside photographer has been found guilty of causing his lover grevious bodily harm by infecting her with HIV and failing to tell her he had the disease.

Prosecutors said Leslie Pringle had a cavalier attitude to sex and disregard for the safety of others.

He has been warned a jail sentence is 'almost inevitable'.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 48-year-old had been repeatedly advised about how to avoid passing on the disease after he was diagnosed.

He had also been warned of his legal and moral obligation to inform sexual partners of his illness.

But he had sex with a woman, referred to in court only as 'X', without using protection.

Pringle, of Rennington Avenue, North Shields, denied the charge of GBH but jurors found him guilty after less than two hours of deliberation.

The case was adjourned until November for medical and pre-sentencing reports.

Judge Paul Sloan QC remanded Pringle in custody in the meantime.

The judge warned him: "The fact I'm adjourning sentence and directing the preparation of a pre-sentence report should not be taken by you as any indication of the sentence that will be imposed in due course.

"It is almost inevitable an immediate, substantial custodial sentence will be imposed in the circumstances of this case."

Pringle did not give evidence during the trial but told detectives in interview he believed it was still possible for him to have safe sex without the use of a condom.

X gave evidence from behind a screen to protect her privacy.

She told the court: "The deceit just beggars belief. I hope one day I can move on from it".

X told jurors she would have used condoms if she had known Pringle was HIV positive but would not have ended their relationship for that reason alone.

She said: "People with HIV are allowed to have relationships, are allowed to lead a healthy life.

"It would have made no difference to how I felt about him if he had told me, I would have thought he was a very, very brave man and I would have supported him."

She said she never saw Pringle taking medication other than paracetomol for headaches and believed his health to be excellent.

Prosecutor Katherine Dunn told the court: "The crown's case is he was clearly reckless in his actions in not telling her he was infected, not attending the clinic and not taking his medication

"It shows his cavalier approach to sex and disregard for the safety of others and complete lack of concern as to whether he could infect another person."

Speaking after the case, Chief Supt Winton Keenan of Northumbria Police said: "This was a challenging and difficult investigation due to the complexity of bringing such a case to court and the rules of confidentiality that rightly govern health issues.

“Given that Pringle may have had other sexual relationships since he was infected we have a public duty to publicise this case to ensure any other potential victims are made aware and can seek advice.”

And in statement X said: "I would like to take this opportunity to urge anyone who has had a relationship with Les Pringle to contact their Sexual Health Services and request HIV testing.

"Should any persons feel it necessary to talk to the police, I want to state with complete confidence that without prejudice or judgement, the respect and kindness I have received has shown no bounds."