A 28-year-old father of four has been found guilty of causing serious harm to two of his former partners by infecting them with HIV.

It’s the first case of its kind in Ireland.

The court heard the man had been diagnosed with HIV in 2008.

The prosecution said he knew full well he had the virus when these offences occurred two years later.

The prosecution said the accused, an African national, had been advised about safe sex, knew the risks and didn’t take his anti-viral medication.

The man’s ex-wife told the court he didn’t like condoms and wasn’t shocked when she told him she had been diagnosed with HIV during routine testing when she was pregnant.

Another former partner told the trial the man would not use contraception, and blamed her when she was diagnosed.

The accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the women involved, had denied the charges but was convicted by a jury.

Judge Martin Nolan remanded the accused in custody ahead of sentencing later this month, and said a custodial sentence is ‘likely’.