Alternative healer found guilty of manslaughter of diabetic woman at workshop in Wiltshire

A jury have found a man guilty of manslaughter of a woman who died at his slapping therapy workshop in Wiltshire.

6\1 year-old Hongchi Xiao, of Cloudbreak, California, has been convicted at Winchester Crown Court over the death of 71-year-old Danielle Carr-Gomm in October 2016.

He promoted the therapy as a cure for diabetes.

The prosecutor said: "Those who had received and accepted the defendant's teachings misinterpreted Mrs Carr-Gomm's condition as a healing crisis."

He said that Xiao had been an "exponent" of Paida Lajin for 10 years and had written a book on it.

Mr Atkinson said: "It is said to be a method of self-healing in which 'poisonous waste' is expelled from the body through patting and slapping parts of the body."

He added: "He does not have medical qualifications or training.

"In a book that he wrote about Paida Lajin, the defendant asserted that the taking of insulin leads to liver and eye problems, and that in contrast the Paida Lajin was 'safer and more reliable than existing healing practices' which would result in 'significant improvement' or full recovery in 90% of cases, including cases of diabetes."

He added that Xiao also wrote in the book that "doctors are brainwashed by drug producers to act as salespersons for their drugs".

The court heard that Mrs Carr-Gomm had provided a testimonial for Xiao, describing him as a "messenger sent by God" who was "starting a revolution to put the power back in the hands of the people to cure themselves and to change the whole system of health care".

Mrs Carr-Gomm was born in France and moved to the UK aged 21.

Speaking after her death, her son Matthew Carr-Gomm, who lives in New Zealand, said: "She was always keen to try and find alternative methods of treating and dealing with her diabetes, and was very interested in alternative and holistic medicine and therapies.

"I know she was desperate to try and cure herself of this disease.

"She always maintained a healthy lifestyle and was adamant that nothing would stop her from living a full life.

"In recent years, mum was in a great place with a partner, a lovely home and was travelling the world.

"She had a lot of life left in her."

He said the death of Mrs Carr-Gomm had come as a "huge shock" to the family.

Giving evidence during the trial, Xiao said he would "never" persuade someone who needed insulin not to take it, adding that insulin is "useful".

On his attitude towards medication at his workshops, he added: "First of all, I said I'm not a medical doctor, so everyone is responsible for their own medication.

"Secondly, I'm not fully against medicine, what I'm concerned about is the side effect of the medicine."

Following the verdict, head the Crown Prosecution Service, Rosemary Ainslie, said: "Hongchi Xiao knew the consequences of Danielle Carr-Gomm's decision to stop taking insulin could be fatal, he had seen it before.

"Hongchi Xiao was the man in charge, yet he failed to respond to Mrs Carr-Gomm's worsening condition with tragic consequences.

"His failure to take reasonable steps to help Mrs Carr-Gomm substantially contributed to her death and amounted to gross negligence.

Xiao will be sentenced on October 1.

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