Extradited from Jamaica to the UK, a man who knowingly infected his then-partner with HIV has been sentenced to three years in jail.
At Chester Crown Court, Jamaican-born Jermaine Scott received the three-year sentence after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.
Diagnosed with HIV in 2005, Scott failed to regularly take the prescribed medicine to control the virus and prevent its transmission.
The victim, with whom Scott rekindled a relationship in 2009, was not informed about his HIV status and subsequently contracted the virus through unprotected intercourse.
Following her positive HIV test, Scott fled Cheshire, prompting a police manhunt. Although initially released due to insufficient evidence, he was later found in the UK illegally, leading to his deportation back to Jamaica.
Meanwhile, the victim, living with the virus and undergoing treatment, urged authorities to reopen the case. Through collaboration between medical experts and law enforcement, a genetic link between the strains of HIV of the victim and Scott was established, leading to Scott being charged with grievous bodily harm in February 2020 and eventually extradited back to the UK in 2022.
After the sentencing, Det Sgt Emma Myers commented that the victim’s life would be forever impacted by Scott’s actions, causing enduring physical and psychological suffering. She added that the victim’s relationships and trust in men had been profoundly affected, expressing hope that Scott’s incarceration would provide her with some closure, despite acknowledging that no sentence would be sufficient.
