Man Convicted Of Deliberately Spreading HIV Tells Judge Why He Did It
Posted January 5, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There doesn’t seem to be enough of a punishment that could fit this crime.
But a man who knowingly spread HIV to two women will soon hear what his penalty will be anyway.
Vincent Walkem admitted to having unprotected sex with his victims despite being aware he was infected with the virus that causes AIDS. One of the girls was just 18 years old when she got the virus from him.
On Friday, he took the stand to try and explain to a judge why he shouldn’t be given a harsh sentence.
But Walkem revealed much about his own character when he was asked point blank in some graphic and embarrassing testimony about why he never told the women about his medical condition.
His blunt answer: he was afraid they wouldn’t sleep with him.
The Crown wants the lascivious lothario to serve between six and eight years behind bars for his thoughtless acts.
“It’s an incredibly serious crime with potentially deadly consequences,” points out John Muise of the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness.
But Walkem’s lawyers are suggesting their client shouldn’t be given any jail time at all.
The judge has yet to make up his mind about the prisoner’s ultimate fate. But he’s already hinted that he’ll likely be sending the guilty man to the penitentiary to serve consecutive sentences.
The question now is for how long and when he’ll arrive at the number.
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