Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
BBC News - November 3, 2003
Mohammed Dica was convicted at Inner London Crown Court on 14 October of two counts of "biological" grievous bodily harm.
Dica, from Mitcham, south-west London, had told police both women knew of his condition before they had sex.
But the court heard the 37-year-old had told his first victim he had undergone a vasectomy and pursued the second victim telling her he loved her and wanted to have children with her.
On Monday, the father-of-three showed no reaction as Judge Nicholas Philpot described him as "despicable" during sentencing at Inner London Crown Court.
"In each case you abused a loving relationship, loving on one side at any rate, and inflicted GBH," the Judge said.
"Each woman is now infected with an incurable disease, has suffered a florid effect of the infection and manages to control her life but only with very frequent and heavy medication and that on a permanent basis."
He was given three-and-a-half years for the first offence and four-and-a-half years for the second.
The women, a divorcee and a mother-of-two, both in their 30s, could be dead in 10 years, the jury were told.
The case is believed to be the first successful prosecution in England and Wales for sexually transmitting HIV.
'Cold and callous'
During the trial, prosecutor Mark Gadsden told the court: "He coldly and callously infected these two women."
Dica, who may only have a few years to live, is planning an appeal against the verdict.
His second victim, known only as Deborah, said after the verdict: "He played with my life and he's destroyed it.
"Not only did I find out that I had contracted HIV but also discovered that the person who gave it to me, whom I trusted and loved, had been infected for five years and devastated my life and the life of another woman with intent."
Others infected
Metropolitan Police Detective Sergeant Jo Goodall suggested Dica may have infected others.
"I admire the courage of the two females in coming forward with this allegation.
"I hope that the outcome of this case will encourage other victims to come forward, especially since it may well be that there are other victims of this man."
A spokesperson for the HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust said: "The length of one man's sentence is not the issue - the question is how this case will impact on the vast majority of people living with HIV in the UK today, who may be discouraged from being open about their HIV status with people for fear of a backlash.
"We must work towards a society in which people with HIV can talk about their diagnoses without fear of stigma or rejection."
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