Seven more complainants in HIV infection case

Glenn Mills. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

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.

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.

The Aids Foundation said earlier this month that there has been a significant rise in demand for testing and counselling.

The foundation would not say how many tests it had carried out, "out of respect for its clients and their right to confidentiality", but confirmed a marked increase in demand for HIV testing and counselling compared with this time last year.

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.