Ridiculously lenient sentence for woman who infected partner with HIV

Bottle_of_Smoke

No jail for Germany HIV popstar

An HIV-positive German popstar accused of infecting a former partner with the virus has been given a two-year suspended sentence.

Nadja Benaissa, 28, admitted having unprotected sex and keeping her HIV status secret, but denied deliberately infecting anyone.

The No Angels singer was found guilty of causing bodily harm to one man, and of two cases of attempted bodily harm.

At the trial she said she was "sorry from the bottom of my heart".

"I wish I could turn back the clock and make it all not happen," she told the court in Darmstadt.

As well as the two-year suspended sentence, Benaissa will be required to perform 300 hours of community service.

'Cowardly'
Benaissa had sex with three people without telling them she was infected. One of them was confirmed as having contracted the virus.

Benaissa said she had not told anybody about her disease because she was afraid of the consequences for her career, which she conceded was a "cowardly act".

She claimed she had been told by doctors that the risk of passing on the virus was "practically zero".

She could have faced up to 10 years in jail, but prosecutors had sought a lenient sentence because she confessed and expressed remorse.

Benaissa was arrested in Frankfurt last year, shortly before she was due to perform a solo concert, and spent 10 days in custody.

No Angels were formed in 2000 on the international TV show Popstars, before recording a series of hits and emerging as Germany's most successful girl band.

They re-formed in 2007 and competed in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing 23rd.

I think this is horrible. She knowingly put a guy at risk by having sex with him without letting him know. True we should always use barrier protection but I believe in this case the onus is on the infected partner to be honest about their HIV status. Theye let her off because she expressed remorse? FFS anyone can fake remorse.

I believe a clear line can be drawn between deadly diseases like Hepatitis and HIV and trivial things like giving someone a cold sore from kissing them.

I think this sets a terrible precedent for the behavior of others. I think a guy in the UK got 5 years. Thought I remembered a case of an Irish woman being infected and the guy being charged but can't find it now.

Wolfe Tone

That is bollix. Probably because she is famous.

Nijmegen

Here in Ireland a guy in Bray got a similar amount of community service when he blinded a nurse in one eye by throwing an egg at her from a car.

The European criminal justice system in general is a weak farce. I recall seeing a documentary from one of the low countries (can't remember which) where prisoners had playstations in their cells.

Kidchameleon

Jesus I wouldn't say no...

strokemyclover

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Jesus I wouldn't say no...

You might if she had done the right thing in the first place

Jim_Bob_2010

German?

Ash.J.Williams

Nijmegen wrote: »

Here in Ireland a guy in Bray got a similar amount of community service when he blinded a nurse in one eye by throwing an egg at her from a car.

The European criminal justice system in general is a weak farce. I recall seeing a documentary from one of the low countries (can't remember which) where prisoners had playstations in their cells.

as bad as that is, it surely has nothing to do with this case. Losing an eye and a girl getting off what is effectively a murder charge.

monkeypants

She had the following advantages:

Fame
Sex/Gender

Regular woman or bloke would probably have received a different sentence.

Nijmegen

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

as bad as that is, it surely has nothing to do with this case. Losing an eye and a girl getting off what is effectively a murder charge.

Í was noting the use of community service, rather than the similarity of the crime.

In both cases the offense will leave the victim with a lifelong physical and emotional disability. AIDS will, you are correct, more likely lead to an early death.

aDeener

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

That is bollix. Probably because she is famous.

there's the reason there :rolleyes: