The trial of Stuart McDonald – the 41 year-old Adelaide man accused of 'recklessly' infecting eight men with HIV between January 2001 and January 2006 – has been delayed again until at least May, because the prosecution needs more time.
Accoring to a report in The Australian, he again appeared in the Supreme Court and pleaded not guilty to eight charges of
having unprotected sex with the men while knowing he had the HIV AIDS virus and knowing the acts were likely to endanger their lives and intending or being recklessly indifferent to endangering their lives.
He also pleaded not guilty to raping, assaulting and threatening the life of one of the men in February 2005.
Justice Kevin Duggan told the court he was "anxious'' to list the case for trial "as soon as possible''. Crown prosecutor Dominic Petraccaro said the prosecution was not in a position to list the case yet. "It's obviously a complicated trial,'' he said.
Justice Duggan adjourned the case until next month (May 1) saying he would like the prosecution and defence to be in a position then to indicate when it was anticipated the trial might be able to commence.
Mr McDonald was the first person to be detained without charge under South Australia’s public health Act, in April 2007, and he remains in custody awaiting his trial.
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