A woman, deliberately infected with HIV by Luke Davis, has courageously shared the profound and ongoing effects this ordeal has had on her life, saying, “I will always be grieving.”
Luke Davis, 31, engaged in unprotected sex with his victim—who remains unnamed for legal reasons—without disclosing that he was HIV positive and had stopped taking his medication. The victim only discovered her HIV status following a routine health screening in 2021. Acting on suspicion that Davis had exposed her and others to the virus, she reported the incident to the police.
Last October, Davis was convicted of recklessly infecting another person with HIV and unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. He was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for his actions.
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During the sentencing hearing, the victim delivered a powerful impact statement, revealing the deep psychological toll the incident has taken. She described feeling “distraught,” suffering severe anxiety, depression, insomnia, and frequent nightmares. She compared her diagnosis to a “life sentence,” sharing, “Living with HIV has drastically affected my physical health and my everyday life.” She added, “I will always be grieving for the person I could have been.”
In a previous police statement, the victim expressed that Davis had never taken responsibility for his actions. “Today he has had to face up to his crime and has been held accountable, not only for his actions but also for all the pain and suffering he has caused me,” she said. She emphasized the lifelong challenge she now faces, stating, “He has left me with a life sentence—I have gone from being healthy to living with a lifelong disease, HIV, which I now must accept and manage as a disability through no fault of my own.” The stigma surrounding HIV has further affected her mental health, causing anxiety, isolation, and deep-seated trust issues.
Davis was sentenced at Hereford Justice Centre, where the presiding judge condemned his conduct as “utterly irresponsible.” His Honour Judge Jackson highlighted elements of premeditation, noting Davis’s deliberate failure to disclose his HIV status despite medical advice to do so. The judge pointed out that Davis had consistently disengaged from his medication and missed clinic appointments, fully aware of the risk of transmitting the virus to others. Describing his actions as “selfish,” the judge remarked that Davis’s remorse only surfaced “very late in the day.”
Evidence presented in court revealed that Davis, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, had been fully aware of his HIV positive status when he engaged in sexual relations with his victim. He admitted to avoiding disclosure out of fear that “everyone in town” would find out. After a family bereavement, Davis intermittently stopped treatment and ceased attending HIV clinics. He claimed he refrained from sex when he missed medication doses—a defense the judge dismissed. Davis believed his viral load was “undetectable” and thus that he posed no risk, but the court found this assertion unreliable.
Giovanni D’Alessandro of the Crown Prosecution Service condemned Davis’s recklessness. “This was a reckless and selfish individual who has caused irreparable damage by his actions,” D’Alessandro stated. He explained that Davis’s medication had effectively controlled his viral load, reducing the chance of transmission—control Davis intentionally relinquished by stopping treatment and appointments. “He further failed to inform the victim of his diagnosis and recklessly put them at risk of contracting the disease which they subsequently did,” said D’Alessandro. The prosecution established Davis’s criminal liability beyond doubt. “The victim now faces the lifelong impact of living with HIV,” he added, hoping the sentence would serve justice and deter similar conduct.
Detective Superintendent Gerard Smith of West Mercia Police noted this case was the first of its kind for their force. Praising the victim for her exceptional courage in coming forward, he remarked, “Today’s court result is hugely important for the victim, who will continue to receive medical treatment for the rest of their life, as a direct result of Davis’s reckless behaviour.” He acknowledged the complexity and sensitivity of the investigation and commended the victim’s ongoing bravery throughout the process.