Nicholas Goodchild was convicted of three counts of aggravated sexual assault for having sexual intercourse with three complainants without disclosing his HIV-positive status.
Although condoms were used, he was not on antiretroviral medication, and his viral counts were not low, creating a realistic possibility of transmission.
The court considered aggravating factors, including the vitiation of consent, violation of trust, and the devastating impact on victims, particularly one who was medically vulnerable.
Mitigating factors included his youth (28), first-offender status, positive pre-sentence report, and genuine remorse.
The court also considered the Federal Government's policy on HIV non-disclosure, which suggests lower blameworthiness for condom use.
Applying principles of denunciation and deterrence, the court imposed consecutive sentences of 18 months, 12 months, and 12 months, for a total of 42 months (3.5 years) incarceration, along with ancillary orders.