A Staffordshire man has admitted  infecting a woman with the deadly HIV virus.

Nkosinathi Mabanda was due to stand trial at crown court but changed his plea to guilty.

The 42-year-old, of Horseshoe Drive, Wimblebury, Cannock, has been remanded in custody by Judge John Wait for sentencing on March 10.

Mabanda admitted a charge of  inflicting grievous bodily harm on the unnamed woman, who lived in the Walsall area.

He had unprotected sex with her despite knowing he was infected with the virus, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The full extent of Mabanda’s actions and their consequences have not yet been made public despite the defendant making numerous appearances in court since he was first charged in 2009.

Although the charge is rare, there have been several high-profile cases of someone passing on the virus without informing their partner’s of their condition. Among them is Sarah Jane Porter, a receptionist from an upmarket hair salon in London.

The 43-year-old was jailed for 32 months for revenge attacks on a string of men after she contracted the virus from a former lover. Over a five-year period, she is thought to have had unprotected sex with dozens of men who were unaware she was HIV positive.

The mother-of-one infected her 31-year-old boyfriend and became the first woman in British history to be jailed for passing the virus on to a man five years ago. She was described as “pure evil” by her ex-boyfriend.

Last year, an HIV-positive German pop star was given a two-year suspended prison sentence after infecting her former partner. Nadja Benaissa, 28, was found guilty on one count of causing grievous bodily harm and two of attempted bodily harm following a trial.

The singer, from band No Angels, had admitted having unprotected sex and keeping her HIV status secret, but denied deliberately infecting anyone.

At the trial, she said she was “sorry from the bottom of my heart”.