Briton jailed over HIV infections

Christer Aggett shields his face from the camera following his conviction

An HIV-positive British man has been jailed for 14 years in Sweden after being convicted of infecting two under-age girls during unprotected sex.

Christer Merrill Aggett, 32, who grew up in Sweden, was also convicted of putting other young women at risk.

Aggett was ordered to pay compensation of about £213,000 (2.72m kronor) to 16 victims, including £67,000 each to the two girls infected with HIV.

He found his victims through internet chatrooms, the Swedish court heard.

Aggett, 32, was arrested after his landlord found HIV medications and pictures of him performing sexual acts with young girls.

Aggett, who was born in Britain but is thought to have lived in Sweden since he was a child, had admitted one charge of serious assault and several of attempted serious assault.

Psychiatric tests

However, he denied having had sex with under-age girls, saying he had been unaware of their ages.

The legal age of consent in Sweden is 15.

The assaults took place between 2003 and 2006 and police have urged all Aggett's victims to have HIV tests.

The Solna District Court had found Aggett guilty of the charges in November, but ordered that he undergo psychiatric examination before sentencing.

Aggett's lawyer, Jonas Granfelt, said his client was likely to appeal.

Police suspect Aggett was in contact with at least 130 young women via internet chatrooms and are trying to track them down.