A man has been accused of infecting multiple people with HIV and taunting them about it in instant messages.

The man is understood to have targeted at least four men in the Edinburgh area after meeting them on gay dating app Grindr.

After he met them in person, he sent the men explicit messages claiming he had infected them with HIV.

Website Buzzfeed has highlighted an interview with one of the men, who claims he was diagnosed with the virus after his encounter with the man last summer.

He said shortly after they met, the man sent him emoticons depicting someone crying with laughter and then wrote explicit messages about infecting him with HIV.

Staff at the Chalmers Sexual Health Centre in Edinburgh are understood to have dealt with three other HIV-positive patients who had similar allegations about abuse on the WhatsApp instant messenger.

A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed officers were investigating the case.

He said: “[We] are looking to speak with a number of individuals as part of this inquiry to establish the full circumstances.”

Dona Milne, deputy director of public health for NHS Lothian, said: “We are assisting police with their inquiries and it would be inappropriate to comment further on an individual case.

"However, we would encourage men to look at the information provided by HIV Scotland on their website about the risks of HIV transmission and to make contact with services for testing and advice if they have concerns.”