In this episode, we delve into the lives of three men whose HIV/AIDS status tragically intertwined with their court appearances, leading to a profound public outing by the media. Each individual faced not only the repercussions of their alleged crimes but also the harsh realities of stigma associated with their health condition.

They were subjected to courtroom protocols that included the presence of personnel in “spacesuits” and for the first time in the courts history, stringent disinfection processes of the court dock, underscoring the societal fears surrounding HIV/AIDS at the time. While they received sentences for their offences, they also endured a lifetime of discrimination and isolation, as their confidential health information was unwittingly dragged into the public sphere, further complicating their struggles for acceptance and dignity.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog - CRIME SERIES: Court, Disinfectant & "Spacesuits"

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Music / Instrumental by Aries Beats 'A Sin' + WEBSITE

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Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers

*Judge Gloria is not a real judge, this is not a real court and none of those mentioned are on trial. The scope and purpose of this episode is to create a more immersive listening experience while sharing true stories as they were reported by the British newspapers.