General Election: Liberal Democrat Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett contracted HIV on purpose

A young Liberal Democrat who is hoping to become an MP has revealed that he contracted the HIV virus on purpose, after suffering years of poor mental health caused by bullies.

Election candidate Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett admitted he was "looking for it" by having unprotected sex with men, while he was seeking "annihilation of me".

It happened during a long phase of self-destructive behaviour by Vauxhall candidate, Hyyrylainen-Trett, who also overdosed on drugs five times and also acted in gay porn film about wrestling.

He told of his tortured past in a sensational and moving interview with Buzzfeed, in which he revealed that today is happily married to a man, and wants to raise awareness for young people grappling with their own sexuality.

Speaking of his mental health problems, Hyyrylainen-Trett said: "If you don't care about yourself any longer you then do things that will harm you and think in a way that puts you in danger. This is what mental ill-health does. I was thinking, 'Who can I find who's the most dangerous person to go to, who isn't well, who could deliver that knockout blow?'"

He revealed he hoped the disease would end years of pain and anguish caused by bullies who mocked his sexuality, combined with an inability to seek solace and comfort from family and friends.

People who seek out the HIV virus are sometimes called "bug chasers" - a term which disguises the mental anguish Hyyrylainen-Trett was suffering, which he said drove him to catch the chronic condition.

His multiple drug overdoses happened at prolonged sex parties, at which he sought comfort and escape from his problems. The gay wrestling porn shoot happened because Hyyrylainen-Trett hoped to please a man he was attracted to.

Vauxhall is home to a number of venues frequented by gay men and Hyyrylainen-Trett hopes to make the scene safer by reforming drug laws and addressing hate crimes.

"It all links together – making drugs a health issue not a criminal one so that people might talk about it and get help for it," he said. "There is so much more we need to address: body image among gay men, hate crime, and mental health generally has never been recognised on a par with physical health."