Edinburgh Man jailed for 8 years for deliberately trying to spread HIV

A devious and deceptive'' hairdresser from Edinburgh who set out to deliberately infect victims with HIV has been jailed for eight years in Scotland.

Daryll Rowe, 27, intentionally had unprotected sex with partners, fully aware he was carrying the virus.

He admitted four counts of culpable and reckless conduct when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday.

Rowe, who is already serving a life sentence for similar offences in England, was handed an eight-year prison term at the Edinburgh court and placed on the sex offenders' register for life.

Police Scotland, who confirmed details of the hearing, said the hairdresser, who was diagnosed in April 2015, would meet men using online dating apps and enter into sexual relationships without disclosing his illness.

He would either refrain from wearing a condom during sex, or tamper with the protection, as he sought to deliberately infect others.

Between October 2015 and December 2016, he continued to commit similar offences in Edinburgh as well as Sussex and North East England.

He was snared following significant'' enquiries carried out by officers in Scotland and England.

Last month, Rowe was jailed for life for trying to infect 10 men in England after becoming the first man in the country to be found guilty of intentionally setting out to spread the virus.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin MacLean, of Police Scotland, said: Daryll Rowe is a devious and deceptive predator who has shown absolutely no remorse for the extensive suffering and distress he has caused his victims.

Since April 2015 he was fully aware of his illness yet refused treatment that would ensure his own health and safeguard his sexual partners from the risk of infection.

To make matters worse, he would then knowingly engage in sexual activity with individuals he met without divulging his condition.

Rowe would then go to great lengths to ensure he put partners at risk of contracting HIV, demonstrating the callous and reckless nature of his character.''

He added: It is my sincere hope that all of those affected by Daryll Rowe's calculated criminality feel some sense of justice following today's outcome.'