‘Slapping therapist’ jailed in UK for manslaughter

LONDON – An alternative healer was jailed on Dec 6 for 10 years in Britain over the death of a diabetic woman who stopped taking insulin and experienced medical complications at his “slapping therapy” workshop.

Xiao Hongchi, 61, of Cloudbreak, California, was convicted in July by a jury in Winchester, southern England, of manslaughter by gross negligence after he failed to get medical help for Ms Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71.

He was charged in November 2023, following her death during an October 2016 session to help the victim with her diabetes.

The jury found Xiao “unlawfully killed” the pensioner while delivering a paida lajin workshop, which involves patients being slapped or slapping themselves repeatedly.

The alternative healer breached his duty of care towards Ms Carr-Gomm by failing to take reasonable steps to ensure medical assistance when she was suffering from a “medical crisis”, namely ketoacidosis.

Xiao, who was born in China, had denied the charge.

Judge Robert Bright said he was handing down the sentence “on the basis you knew from late in the afternoon of day one of the fact that Danielle Carr-Gomm had stopped taking her insulin”.

Xiao made a “token effort” to get her to take her insulin, and showed “no real sign of clear remorse” as he continues to practise and promote paida lajin in prison, he added.

“I consider you dangerous even though you do not share the characteristics of most other dangerous offenders,” Judge Bright said.

He also sentenced Xiao to a further five years on extended licence or supervision after his time in prison. The judge noted he would be released after serving two-thirds of his term, and would be liable to be deported back to the US where he is a citizen.

Xiao’s lawyer Charles Row said that his client had “deep regret and sorrow”.

The 61-year-old had been extradited for the trial from Australia, where he had previously been prosecuted after a six-year-old boy also died when his parents withdrew his insulin medication after attending the defendant’s workshop.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious condition that can happen in people with diabetes due to a lack of insulin and requires urgent medical treatment.

Ms Carr-Gomm, who was described by her family as an avid follower of holistic medicine and alternative therapies, was born in France and moved to the UK at the age of 21.

She was diagnosed with diabetes in 1999 but struggled to inject insulin because of a fear of needles. AFP