HIV positive Calgary man who had unprotected sex with women a 'black hole of human emotion': Crown

Described by his victims as a "predator" and a "terrorist,"John Joseph McNamara was sentenced to 7 years in prison on Thursday for refusing to tell six women he is HIV positive.

McNamarahad unprotected sex with the women he'd meton dating websites between 2012 and 2013.

Earlier this year, McNamara, 46, pleaded guilty to six counts of aggravated sexual assault, one of which occurred while he wasout on bail for his earlier offences.

"What you are is a predator,you purposefully tried to infect as many people as possible," wrote one of the women in a victim impact statement.

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Prosecutors Janice Walsh and Kane Richards made a joint submission for the 7-year sentence with defence lawyer Shamsher Kothari,which was accepted by Justice Robert Hall. With about five years credit for the time he's already served,McNamarahas 30 months left on his sentence.

"He callously, in his own interest, had sex with multiple partners in multiple ways without any regard for their safety," said Hall in handing down his decision.

One woman, who can't be identifiedbecauseof a publication, ban also called McNamara an unremorseful "terrorist."

None of the women contracted HIV from the sexual encounters.

"They say we are lucky," said avictim.

"We are mothers, daughters, friends and sisters,homeowners, graduates;we are your victims."

'Blackholeof human emotion'

Not only didMcNamarafail to disclose his status with five of the women, he actively lied to one who specifically asked him if he had any sexually-transmitted diseases.

McNamara was found to have a "psychopathic personality structure," according to apsychiatric report prepared by a forensic psychiatrist ahead of the sentencing hearing.

The report prepared by Dr. GeorgeDuskafound McNamara has a sense of entitlement, lack of empathy and no ability to take personal responsibility for his actions.

McNamara is an "expert in calculated revisionist history," is "comfortable violating others' rights" and has a "disturbing absence of empathy, insight and self-awareness," said Walsh who alsocalled him a"virtual black hole of human emotion."

McNamara wasn't taking meds

Though the sex was initially consensual, it was McNamara's failure to disclose his HIV status that legally invalidated that consent.

This area of the law is murky and in flux in Canada. In December, the Ontario government announced it would not prosecute people with HIV who don't disclose their status if there is no realistic possibility of transmission.

The federal government has been asked to consider changes to the Criminal Code in light of scientific evidence that, if treated properly, risk of transmission is negligible.

At the time of his offences, McNamarawas not taking his medication, had a high viral load, and was a high risk to spread the virus. He also did not follow his clinic's policy of seeing a doctor every three months.

He also did not use a condom with the victims, which can reduce the risk of transmission by 80 per cent, according to the agreed statement of facts.

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