HIV-infected men sue three for assault

GRONINGEN, Netherlands, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Fourteen HIV-infected men in the Netherlands say they are suing three men convicted of deliberately infecting people with the virus at sex parties.

The civil case to be heard Wednesday in Groningen challenges the defendants to prove they didn't infect the 14 plaintiffs, Radio Netherlands reported Tuesday.

The three defendants in the civil case were convicted last November in criminal court. One was sentenced to nine years in prison, another to five years in prison and the third to 1 1/2 years in prison.

The plaintiffs' lawyer has asked the court to freeze the defendants' bank accounts and place liens on their homes pending the outcome of the case, Radio Netherlands said.