Jury finds man guilty of spreading HIV

A Melbourne man has been found guilty of rape and of trying to spread HIV.

The County Court jury found 49-year-old Michael Neal of the Melbourne suburb of Coburg guilty of 15 charges, including eight counts of attempting to infect another person with HIV, and two counts of rape.

He was aquitted of another 11 charges.

During a trial lasting more than five weeks, the jury heard Neal organised parties to try to spread the virus, and boasted about the number of people he had infected.

The court heard Neal met his victims at public toilets, at an Abottsford hotel, and through a gay website.

The jury deliberated for three and a half days to reach its verdict.