My rapist deliberately gave me HIV. I was just 15

On a Thursday afternoon, Sam stepped off the school bus, unaware that a call he received would alter his life forever. The sexual health nurse on the line revealed he had contracted HIV, a revelation that left him in disbelief. “Everything crumbled in that instant,” Sam recalls, his name altered by the BBC to shield his identity. “I thought it was a death sentence, not knowing what HIV truly meant.” The virus had been intentionally transmitted by Adam Hall, the man who also raped him. Sam is among seven individuals targeted by Hall, who received a life sentence with a minimum of 23 years after a prolonged trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

The Deception and Emotional Fallout

Adam Hall, from Washington, had met Sam on a dating app without disclosing his HIV status or his lack of medication, which could have suppressed the virus. “I felt my autonomy stripped away,” Sam says. “From the start, I was misled, and my ability to consent was taken for granted.” The teenager, still grappling with the reality of his condition, described the experience as a “massive rollercoaster” that only continued to decline. “I was mortified, not just by the situation, but by myself,” he adds. “It felt like sinking into a deep abyss, leaving me devastated.”

“How has this happened to me? I felt like I was sinking. It was really just devastating.”

Sam now manages his condition with daily medication, maintaining an undetectable viral load. Hall claimed in court he was following treatment, but jurors dismissed this as one of many falsehoods. Despite the pain of reliving his trauma during police interviews and the trial, Sam remains determined to share his story. “It’s extremely hard to go through, but once it’s over, relief sets in,” he says. The trial, which lasted nearly 43 hours, concluded in March, validating Sam’s experience. “Knowing I was believed, it was a relief,” he reflects.

Stigma and the Fight Ahead

Sam aims to educate others about HIV, combatting persistent stigma. “People still see you as dirty or unclean, assuming you must be sexually active all the time,” he explains. The chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, Richard Angell, commended Sam’s “incredible courage” in speaking out, noting the trial as a “reminder of the stigma faced by those living with HIV.” He emphasized that Hall’s actions shouldn’t be used to further marginalize the community. “It’s vital to prevent this from worsening,” Angell says.

Northumbria Police highlighted this case as the second conviction in England for intentional HIV transmission. The force suspects Hall may have targeted others in County Durham, Middlesbrough, North and West Yorkshire, and even London. Sam, now planning to return to education and pursue a nursing career, sees the court case as a new beginning. “This chapter is closing, and it’s helping me move forward,” he says. He still has questions for Hall: “What drove you to do this? What did you gain from hurting me and others?”

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