Victim personal statements following sentencing of Adam Hall

All victim-survivors in this case have provided Victim Personal Statements (VPS) which individually demonstrate the impact Hall’s actions have had on them, including the treatment towards them after their diagnoses, and how people would treat them, and the lifelong physical and psychological impacts of his offending.

One of the victim-survivors said: “Prior to Hall I had not been involved in a gay relationship. He was my first experience, and I had nothing to compare it to. I would describe myself as naïve."

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Another victim-survivor described how, when he first received his diagnosis, it felt like a ‘death sentence’ because of the stigma around the virus.

He said: “No-one ever betrayed me the way Hall did.

“When I first met Hall I had not long ended a relationship with my ex-partner. It wasn’t an easy breakup and I was vulnerable. I recognise this now, although I did not at the time.

“The first time Hall raped me I blamed myself.

“The first medication I took made my hair fall out. I switched medications, but the side effects continued.

“Right now, day to day living can be exhausting. I have been exposed to so many medical procedures and hospital stays because of what Hall did to me.

“His influence led to an accumulation of horrible outcomes which all amounted to me lurching from one crisis to the next.

He continued: “Hall left me a broken man, just a shell of who I was, he stripped me down for his own gain.

“I am a broken man. He changed me as a person, who I was to my core, and he did it all for his own gain.”

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The third victim-survivor described himself as ‘vulnerable’ and ‘easily manipulated’ when he met Hall.

He said: “I think I was expecting him to take care of me. To have an awareness, and compassion. Really, I was just looking for salvation, for someone to love me.

“When I was diagnosed with HIV some of my closest friends stopped me going to their houses, they said they felt funny about germs. It was so hurtful that people who had known me my whole life could suddenly treat me so differently.

“Hall took advantage of me, that is one thing that is clear to me now. He gained my trust and then hurt me in the most malicious way.

“Hall made me feel so alone, I didn’t really know much about sexually transmitted infections, and I was embarrassed.”

He continued: “The whole thing is so unfair, he knew he was infected, and he thought he could get away with infecting me. That he was immune from any consequences. He didn’t even give me the option to take any pre or post HIV exposure treatment.

“It's been a gruelling process. There have been several points where I have considered dropping out of the whole thing, and if I had been the only victim, then I might have done. But this was important, not just for me, but for all the other victims involved.

“The worst part is that no matter how rough he was, all I really wanted was a cuddle.”

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For another victim-survivor, he described how life before meeting Hall felt like a ‘distant memory’

Describing how Hall behaved towards him, he said: “I tried to be as nice as I could be, but Hall soon showed me he was a nasty piece of work. He was miserable and grumpy, and I feel as though he took advantage of me and my good nature. I regret being so nice to him.

“When I was first diagnosed with HIV, I just couldn’t believe it. It was the last thing I ever expected, and I assumed it would never happen to me.

“All I can say is it ruined me. In that moment my life as I knew it was gone.

“I told the management at work about my diagnosis and that’s when everything started to change.

“I faced so much stigma at work, including homophobic comments. People I’d known for years calling me names, they all treated me differently because of the HIV.”

He stated: “My dalliance with Hall cost me dearly. I had no idea of his bad intentions when I first met him, although it didn’t take long for his personality to show.

“I have had to re-write my life and do everything from scratch because of this one man.”

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A fifth victim-survivor described how difficult the investigation and court proceedings had been to experience.

He said: “I had to grapple with the prospect of contacting people I hadn’t spoken to in months, to let them know my HIV status, and subject them to being a witness in a police investigation they had no direct link to.

“My main concern was of course facing unwanted social stigma, social ridicule and inciting conflicts with people over my HIV status. Unfortunately, these are worries I continue to have to this day.

“I did question if I was doing the right thing, if I would ever be taken seriously and if the court proceedings against Hall were ever going to happen.

“The process of cross-examination was both intimidating and confusing. Claims were made during the defence case and attempts were suggested, which if I recall, were that I had willingly partook in a violation of my own body, subjected myself to a life-long disease in the pursuit of fulfilling a desire.

“I was appalled, upset, confused and frustrated. I hadn’t spent three years of my life negotiating with police officials about this awful thing that happened to me, just to have it suggested I wanted it to happen to me.”

He added: “After a long and anxious wait between text messages, phone calls, news articles and emails, I stand here now, after the jury’s judgment.

“At the detest of my younger self, I must constantly monitor my health, be reliant on medication and doctors sometimes becoming neurotic over it.

“Albeit, that the medical advances will allow for a healthy lifespan, there isn’t a cure for “what’s wrong”, meaning that for the time being there is always going to be something wrong.” 

“I no longer question if this was something I deserved, something that was my fault or if I had been at fault. I know now, there is only one person to blame, and that it is not me.”

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Speaking after Hall was convicted, another victim-survivor said: “I was told that Adam Hall had been found guilty of those crimes against me all those years ago, I was so happy and so glad.

“I just broke down there and then. I had been believed. It was so important that the jury believed me.

“It felt like a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt so relieved.”

Further into his VPS, he continued: “I remember when I told my mum I had been given HIV and I was now living with the virus. It was a really difficult conversation, something I will never forget, and something I never imagined I would have to do.

“After I told her, my mum said I wasn’t allowed to hug her, she was worried she’d get the virus. I felt a bit rejected but this type of response has happened to me so many times.

“I have been judged so many times. It’s something I’ve had to get used to.

“I’ve recently had to change HIV medication again, so even after having the virus for nearly 10 years, there are still issues with medication, still regular health appointments and blood tests. That will be a part of my life forever.”

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The final victim-survivor shared said: “I was diagnosed with HIV when I had just turned 16 years old.

“Getting that diagnosis at that age and the immediate impact on me was huge, to be told I had this lifelong condition, my life changed instantly.

“It was such a heavy burden have at my young age and something nobody should have to go through.                                                       

“So, for Hall to have the defence in court that having this virus really isn't that bad, was deeply upsetting and really impacted negatively on my mental health.”

Talking around the lifelong impacts of Hall’s actions, he said “From the need to take daily medication and the awful side effects, to the difficult conversations I will always need to have with future partners, the fear of friends and extended family members finding out and the stigma I will always face.

“The health anxiety of the treatment not working and the potential of having other medical conditions as a result of having the virus and my life expectancy being reduced.

“The need for regular sexual health checks-ups and blood tests for the rest of my life, no matter where I am in the world. The worry of not being able to access HIV medication, if I decide to fulfil a lifelong ambition to move away and travel to different places.

“Hall’s disgustingly harmful actions, his lies and his deceitfulness has taken so much from me.

“I am trying my hardest to move forward but I want the court to understand that Hall's actions will have a lasting negative impact on my life forever.”