German Pop Star Convicted in HIV Sex Case

Nadja Benaissa, a member of the popular German girl band “No Angels”, won’t be heading to prison despite being found guilty of having unprotected sex with men and failing to inform them she was HIV positive.

A court in Germany spared the 28-year-old of jail time, and instead sentenced her to a two-year suspended sentence, according to the German news agency, ddp.

Benaissa was on trial for grievous bodily harm and attempted aggravated assault.

The one-time pop star was tried in juvenile court because the sexual encounters began when she was 17, which is also the age she was when she learned she had HIV after a pregnancy test.

The single mother was accused of having sex with three men from 2000 to 2004, one of whom became infected with HIV.

“I never wanted this to happen to any one of my partners,” Benaissa said during a statement read to the court last week.

“I’d been told the likelihood of infecting someone or that I would develop [AIDS] was more or less zero,” she said. “For that reason I kept the news even from my close group of friends [as] I didn’t want my daughter to be stigmatized.”

Although she did not directly admit to concealing her condition from her sexual partners, she said it was “possible” the accusations were true.

“No Angels” is one of Germany’s most successful girl bands, after finding fame through an “American Idol”-like talent show. The band has several hit singles, with nine albums under its belt since 2001.

( NY Daily News )

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