THE case against an HIV-positive circus acrobat accused of deliberately spreading AIDS by having unprotected sex with women is now likely to be heard next year. Godfrey Zaburoni, 32, has been charged with knowingly spreading the AIDS virus by having unprotected sex with two women and with acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm. The charges were mentioned in Southport Magistrates Court today before being listed for a further review on November 18. The acrobat, who did not appear in court, remains on bail but his whereabouts have been suppressed by order of the Brisbane Supreme Court.

NEW South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally has defended police use of Taser stun guns following the death of a man in western Sydney overnight.
Ms Keneally said today she didn't want to comment directly on the case so as not to pre-empt a police critical investigation.

But she defended the use of the weapons, saying in most cases they were not discharged.

"I'm advised that since October 2008 there have been 973 occasions for police to withdraw their Tasers," she said.

"I'm also advised that in 69 per cent of those occasions the Taser was not fired.

"We will continue to take advice from the police and we will continue to supply our police force with the equipment they need.

"Our police are asked to make split-second decisions, often in very difficult circumstances, circumstances many of us could not imagine or contemplate being in."

Asked if she would agree to a NSW Greens call for a independent inquiry into the use of Tasers by police, Ms Keneally said: "Let's allow these investigations to take their course".

"Let's allow the facts of the situation to be put before us before we rush to judgement on what the next step should be."

Police tasered the man, who was allegedly armed with two knives, after they arrived a home in Helen St, Sefton, early this morning.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione earlier today defended the action of two officers, saying the use of Taser may have saved their lives.

A coroner still has to determine the cause of death of the man.

The incident has reignited debate about the weapons, with some critics such as the NSW Ombudsman saying police are using them too readily.