Mr Caldwell made his comments during evidence on the fifth day of an inquest into the death of Mr Evans, 52, a controversial member of the Border gay community.

His brutally beaten body was found on January 22, 2006, at a unit in Small Street, but evidence indicates his death happened two days earlier.

The inquest was told by Mr Caldwell that he was made aware Mr Evans had infected former partner Brett Cromack with HIV.

“Rob was always a bit sleazy — a person of no morals when it came to his penis and young boys,” Mr Caldwell said.

“He should have gone to prison for what he did to Brett Cromack.”

Mr Caldwell made those comments to solicitor Tim Hemsley, who is appearing at the inquest on behalf of Mr Cromack and his present partner Antony Tants.

Deputy State Coroner Scott Mitchell told Mr Caldwell after he made those comments that he should be a bit less judgmental.

Mr Caldwell said he made four attempts to phone Mr Evans on January 20 and got an answering machine with the first call at 7.45pm.

He made further calls at 9.34pm, 9.38pm and 9.46pm, but received no answer to any of them.

Mr Caldwell made a statement to police at Holbrook on January 28 and claimed the purpose of the calls was to check on Mr Evans.

But he said yesterday: “I wanted to talk to Evans about the lies he had been spreading”.

Mr Caldwell conceded he didn’t tell the whole truth in his statement.

“I was trying to protect Brett and Antony because someone had been murdered,” Mr Caldwell said.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Mr Philip Strickland SC, asked why he was trying to protect them.

“The reason I didn’t want to say anything is because I didn’t want my drug supply to run out,” he said.

“That was where I would go to get my drugs.

“The only thing that keeps me calm is a little bit of smoke at night.”

The inquest continues next week.