Up to 30 people fear infection after HIV case details revealed

Glenn Mills in the Auckland District Court. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

A number of people are likely to seek testing after the identity of a man charged with intentionally infecting others with the HIV virus was revealed on Friday.

About 30 people, many of them young, have called HIV support group Body Positive since name suppression was lifted for Aucklander Glenn Richard Albert Mills, and they realised they had been in contact with him.

Mills, a 40-year-old train driver, faces 14 charges relating to seven alleged victims six men and a woman. Five of the men have tested HIV-positive.

One of the alleged victims was 17 when infected. The charges include infecting with disease, and wounding with reckless disregard. The maximum penalty for infecting with disease is 14 years' jail.

Body Positive chief executive Bruce Kilmister said the group had by yesterday afternoon received close to 30 calls from men and women who had been in contact with Mills.

They were calling from around the country including Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North and Northland.

"They are very concerned that they may have contracted HIV," he told Fairfax Media.

Body Positive, which provides HIV testing, support and safe-sex information, had extended its hours to cater for worried people who wanted to take a test.

The New Zealand Aids Foundation had also noted an increase in calls and testing appointments since news of the case broke and had prepared by increasing capacity and counselling services.

Police earlier said Mills tested positive for HIV in 2007 and allegedly used internet and telephone dating services to search for sexual partners.

Both the Aids Foundation and Mr Kilmister urged people who were worried to contact a sexual health provider for a free test.

Mills was remanded in custody on Friday and will appear in court again next month.

- NZPA