Woman aborted twins after lying boyfriend gave her HIV

A WOMAN carrying twins terminated the pregnancy after discovering the father was HIV-positive and had passed the virus on to her.

The mother-to-be was one of four sexual partners from whom Mark Devereaux, 41, had kept his condition secret. He had known for years of the risk he posed but said nothing to the women.

He was quizzed by one partner who saw him taking medication aADVERTISEMENTnd read that it was for HIV. But he insisted he was being treated for anaemia, the woman believed him and they continued to have unprotected sex.

The 28-year-old pregnant woman was the only partner to be infected, a judge was told, and she lives with the fear that she might go on to develop Aids.

Devereaux, a chef, of Dundee, admitted four charges of culpable and reckless conduct between 2003 and 2008 by engaging in sexual activity without wearing a condom and with a total disregard for the consequences. The offences were committed in Tayside and the North-east of Scotland.

Advocate-depute Alex Prentice, QC, told the High Court in Edinburgh Devereaux's job took him around the country and abroad. He had been diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1994. A partner at that time was also found to be infected, but it was not clear whether he had known of his condition when they began their relationship.

"In 1994, it was explained to him in detail that there was no cure for his condition and that the virus could not be eradicated from his body. He was also informed that he would be infectious to others through unprotected sexual intercourse," said Mr Prentice.

In the summer of 2008, while Devereaux was working offshore, his then-partner found a letter stating that he was HIV positive.

Initially, he denied any knowledge, but then stated that he had known for only about a year.

Mr Prentice said: "She was tested and was found to have contracted the virus. At that time, it was also discovered that she was three months' pregnant with twins, the accused being the father. In light of her diagnosis, she eventually made the decision to terminate the pregnancy.

"She took a number of months to come to terms with her illness and, at first, assumed the accused had unwittingly passed the virus to her. She had no idea that he had been diagnosed in 1994. This came to light a short time later during a conversation with the accused's ex-partner. Following this discovery, she contacted the police."

Devereaux was interviewed and admitted having unprotected sex with the four women, without disclosing to any of them that he was HIV-positive. The other three, aged 34, 23 and 27, were contacted and tested negative for the virus.

He claimed to have been "in denial" about his condition because he had not suffered any ill-health and had not required medication. He had been able to "completely forget" about his HIV status.

But Mr Prentice said there was evidence to dispute Devereaux's claims, in particular records of medication dispensed from Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

Devereaux will be sentenced next month. The judge, Lord Pentland, told him that a jail sentence was "inevitable".

(Edit:Ruby)