AN asylum seeker living in the North-East has become the second person in the country to be charged with deliberately infecting women with the deadly HIV virus.

Musician Feston Goodwell Konzani, 27, from Malawi, Africa, is facing three counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to three women.

One of his alleged victims is a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Middlesbrough. The others - two former lovers - are a 26-year-old from Kenya and a 25-year-old from Italy.

It is understood that two of his victims have since given birth to his children, but it is not known if the children have contracted the virus.

Mr Konzani, who has lived in the Middlesbrough area for some time, also faces a further charge of unlawful sexual intercourse in relation to the teenage girl.

All of the alleged offences are said to have been carried out in Middlesbrough between February 1, 2000, and May 1 this year.

It is alleged that all the women discovered they had been infected with the HIV virus after having sex with the accused.

Mr Konzani was arrested on Monday, less than a month after Mohammed Dica was jailed for eight years at Inner London Crown Court.

Dica, 38, was the first person to be successfully prosecuted in England after he deliberately infected two women with the HIV virus.

He was convicted of causing biological grievous bodily harm contrary to section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

Yesterday, Mr Konzani appeared for hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court, Middlesbrough, charged under the same Act. He spoke only to confirm his name, age and his address in Albany Street, Middlesbrough.

Mr Konzani is an asylum seeker who has had an application to stay turned down. He is awaiting the result of his appeal against that decision.

He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday.

A black belt in karate, he fled to the UK from Malawi in 1998.