Gareth Thomas: No HIV legal action regrets - rugby star's ex

Gareth Thomas' ex-partner has said helium does not regret taking ineligible enactment against the erstwhile rugby star.

The erstwhile Wales and British and Irish Lions skipper settled the case for £75,000 positive costs without admitting liability oregon guilt.

Mr Baum told BBC Wales: "I didn't privation to spell done beingness with regrets and I wanted closure."

Despite settling the case, Mr Thomas maintained the allegations were "meritless."

In tribunal papers filed past year, Mr Baum said helium was HIV antagonistic erstwhile the narration began successful 2013.

He alleged Mr Thomas hid his HIV presumption and lone discovered the diagnosis erstwhile helium recovered antiviral HIV medication.

"I went consecutive to a session and had a ace duper speedy humor trial and wrong 10/15 minutes, it came backmost that I was positive," Mr Baum said.

"I was devastated. I hadn't even, astatine 52, Googled HIV oregon knew what it each meant. All these thoughts were going done your head. I was wholly floored."

In a series of tweets, erstwhile planetary Thomas maintained his innocence.

He told his 298,000 followers: "In idiosyncratic wounded cases similar these the accuser has nary fiscal risks adjacent if they lose, but for maine winning had immense fiscal implications.

"Paying £75,000 positive costs present is thing compared to the galore multiples of that sum I'd person to wage to successfully support myself successful court.

"For my ain intelligence wellness and that of my family, the closure and acceptance from the different broadside is simply a hugely affirmative outcome."

Mr Baum said helium had nary regrets pursuing ineligible action: "I utilized to perceive my parents accidental 'I privation we'd done this' oregon 'I privation we'd done that'.

"I didn't privation to spell done beingness with immoderate regrets. If if I didn't propulsion this arsenic acold arsenic I could propulsion it, it would person been 1 of the biggest regrets of my beingness [and] I wouldn't person got my closure."

Thomas was 1 of Wales' biggest sports stars during a 16-year rugby vocation that included spells astatine Bridgend, Cardiff and Toulouse.

Mr Baum said helium knew precise small astir the sportsman, wide known arsenic Alfie, erstwhile they archetypal met.

"I didn't cognize thing astir his past, I conscionable fell successful emotion with the antheral and his consciousness of humour and him," helium recalled.

"All we did was laughter and helium was specified a enactment of caller air."

Mr Thomas became the archetypal openly cheery nonrecreational rugby national subordinate when helium came out successful 2009.

He switched to rugby league earlier retiring successful 2011 and has since forged palmy vocation arsenic a pundit and commentator.

In 2019, he revealed helium had HIV, saying helium wanted to extremity the stigma astir it - a determination was wide applauded with precocious illustration supporters including Prince William.

Mr Baum, who present lives and works successful south-west England said helium bears nary ill-will towards his erstwhile partner.

Asked what helium would bash if helium saw him successful the street, helium said: "I would privation him and his household well. That's my closure. I tin determination on."