An alternative healer has been found guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of a diabetic woman who died after she stopped taking her insulin at his slapping therapy. workshop.Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, was one of 30 “keen disciples” of Hongchi Xiao who attended the week-long retreat at Cleeve House in Seend, Wiltshire, in October 2016, Winchester Crown Court heard.
Xiao, 61, who has no medical qualifications or training, had for 10 years been an “exponent” of paida lajin therapy – which sees patients being slapped or slapping themselves repeatedly – and had written a book on it.
Mrs Carr-Gomm, from Lewes, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1998 and had sought alternatives to her insulin medication because of her vegetarianism and fear of needles.
The court heard Xiao, who was described as “Master Xiao” in the programme for the workshop, said “well done” after she told the group she had stopped taking her insulin.
But she became seriously ill and was “crying on her bed and howling in pain” before she died of diabetic ketoacidosis on the fourth day of the course on 20 October 2016.
