A man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years after a court heard he carried out a sustained campaign of sexual violence in which he deliberately infected young men and boys with HIV.

Adam Hall, 43, from Washington in Tyne and Wear, was sentenced at Newcastle crown court after being found guilty of multiple offences including rape and causing grievous bodily harm through the intentional transmission of HIV.

The court was told Hall targeted vulnerable and inexperienced men, many of whom he met through dating apps or in bars, before engaging them in unprotected sex while concealing his HIV-positive status.

Hall was convicted of five counts of rape and seven counts of causing grievous bodily harm. Prosecutors said his actions formed a deliberate pattern over several years, during which he failed to take medication correctly and ignored medical advice intended to suppress the virus and prevent transmission.

One of the most serious cases involved a 15-year-old boy, who later discovered he had contracted HIV shortly after receiving a phone call from health professionals as he stepped off a school bus.

During proceedings, Hall denied intentionally infecting his victims and suggested some had consented to the risk of infection. However, the jury rejected his account after hearing extensive evidence of repeated deception and sexual violence.

Prosecutors described his actions as calculated and predatory, with evidence showing he deliberately sought out partners while aware he was infectious.

Detectives who led the investigation said Hall showed no remorse throughout the process and repeatedly refused to engage with proceedings in a meaningful way. The court also heard he declined to attend his sentencing hearing.

In victim impact statements, survivors described devastating emotional and physical consequences, with many saying their lives had been permanently altered by both the assault and the diagnosis.

During proceedings, one of the victims described the lasting emotional impact of the offences, telling the court the scale of trauma he continues to live with. He said:

"There are days when I feel like I am just surviving, not living."

Sentencing him, the judge described Hall as dangerous and said his victims had their futures taken from them as a direct result of his actions.

Police have warned there may be additional victims and have urged anyone affected to come forward, stating that Hall is believed to have travelled across multiple parts of England during the period in which the offences took place.

Hall will serve a life sentence, with a minimum term of 23 years before he can be considered for parole.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Bindloss addressed Hall’s decision not to attend court, making clear the view taken of his behaviour. He said Hall's refusal to attend the sentencing hearing was,

"Entirely in keeping with the indifference" the rapist had shown "to the suffering of others'."

The judge also reflected on the wider impact of the offences, describing the shared harm caused to victims. He added:

"They have all had their futures taken away, all deliberately because of [Hall]."