Alternative healer Hongchi Xiao jailed over woman’s death at slapping therapy workshop

Published

9 months ago

December 6, 2024

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An alternative healer has been jailed for 10 years over the death of a diabetic woman who stopped taking her insulin at his slapping therapy workshop.

Hongchi Xiao, 61, was previously found guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of 71-year-old Danielle Carr-Gomm at a week-long retreat at Cleeve House in Seend, Wiltshire, in October 2016.

Xiao was sentenced to 10 years in prison, plus a five-year extended licence period, today at Winchester Crown Court.

The judge, Mr Justice Bright, said Mrs Carr-Gomm’s “untimely death was a tragedy for her and all of those who loved her”.

The court previously heard she was one of 30 “keen disciples” who attended the paida lajin therapy event – which sees patients being slapped or slapping themselves repeatedly.

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.

Xiao claimed his method could cure nearly all diseases, including diabetes, and the severe bruising caused by the slapping showed toxins being released from the body.

Prosecutors said the therapist, from Cloudbreak, California – referred to as “Master Xiao” in the programme for the workshop – knew she was risking death but said “well done” after she told the group she had stopped taking her insulin.

The jury was told he then failed to seek medical help for her when 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.

The judge said Xiao had shown “no real sign of clear remorse” as he continues to practice and promote paida lajin in prison.

“I sentence you 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,” he said. “Furthermore you made it clear to her you supported this.”

Previous manslaughter conviction

Xiao was extradited to face trial from Australia, where he had previously been convicted of the manslaughter of a six-year-old boy who died in April 2015 – 16 months before Mrs Carr-Gomm – when his parents stopped giving him his insulin after attending one of Xiao’s workshops in Sydney.

He told the Winchester jury he stopped working in finance in the early 2000s before travelling to mountainous areas of China, where he learnt various methods relating to natural healing, from fishermen to kung fu masters, before learning paida lajin.

Meaning “slap and stretch”, 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.

The court heard Xiao, who has no medical qualifications or training, had been an “exponent” of the therapy for 10 years and had written a book on it, but it was not recognised by the association of traditional Chinese medicine.

Footage from a 2015 lecture in India shows Xiao teaching attendees how to slap the inside of their elbows as he tells them: “No pain, no gain.”

He brings one man, who says he has heart disease, on stage and slaps his arm to heighten the bruise, telling the crowd: “This is what we call poison blood.”

“The harder, the longer, the more quickly it disappears,” Xiao says.

Mrs Carr-Gomm, who was born in France before moving to the UK aged 21, first joined one of Xiao’s workshops in Bulgaria in July 2016, where she also fell ill after stopping taking her insulin, but restarted and later recovered.

In a video testimonial, she addresses Xiao as “master” and tells him: “You’re definitely a messenger sent by God because you’re 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.”

The court heard participants at the Wiltshire retreat signed a disclaimer form which stated the practice was not “meant for medical treatment” and they fasted for several days, only consuming a Chinese tea.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC had told the jury by the third day Mrs Carr-Gomm “was vomiting, tired and weak, and by the evening she was howling in pain and unable to respond to questions”.

A chef at the workshop, Teresa Hayes, said she was “delirious” and “frothing at the mouth” before she died in the early hours of the following day on 20 October 2016.

‘Desperate to cure herself’

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.”

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker said he was “pleased” to see Xiao behind bars, adding: “He had no medical qualifications yet, despite this, was actively encouraging those in attendance at his workshops to refrain from taking their regular medication, knowing full well the consequences.”

UK

Reform took advantage of the PM’s holiday – and it’s clear he’s now changed strategy

Published

4 hours ago

September 2, 2025

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Reform took advantage of the PM's holiday - and it's clear he's now changed strategy

Immigration was the first thing on the government’s agenda to kick off the first week back from recess, and they wanted you to know it.

The home secretary gave an update to the House, announcing a shakeup of family reunion rules for asylum seekers, even before some backbenchers had made it back to parliament from their break.

Facing criticism for being on the back foot after a summer of protest outside asylum hotels, they were keen to defend their record and get back on track – but is it too late?

It’s a clear nod to the political void Reform UK has seized on while the prime minister has been on holiday.

Last week, Nigel Farage unveiled his party’s mass deportation policy – though the issue of women and children still seems to be worked out.

But perhaps none of that matters as voters overwhelmingly believe Reform cares about this issue – and as Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, pointed out on Monday, voters have lost confidence in the government somewhat to solve what many see as an immigration crisis on their doorstep.

So it’s clear the strategy has changed from the government.

Gone are the bold slogans of “smashing the gangs” and instead, detail and policy was given on Monday. It was nothing new, but more substance on what the government has done and where they want to move to. Even controversially, reassessing their relationship with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The biggest update though, was on their one-in-one-out policy agreement with France, which will now set to start returns later this month.

It’s finally hit home for the government that the public want proof not just rhetoric, and they want to know crucially when they will start to see change.

But the fightback, the reset, whatever the government wants to call it, will only make a difference once that finally starts to work.

UK

Police ask for help with unsolved murder more than 50 years ago

Published

4 hours ago

September 2, 2025

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Police ask for help with unsolved murder more than 50 years ago

Police are asking for help with an unsolved case, 52 years after the murder of a schoolboy in Belfast.

Brian McDermott was 10 when he disappeared from Ormeau Park on Sunday 2 September 1973. His remains were recovered from the River Lagan almost a week later.

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Legacy Investigation Branch have given a timeline of events as part of their appeal.

Brian left his home on Well Street in the lower Woodstock Road area of east Belfast at around 12.30pm and failed to return for his Sunday dinner.

Detectives said he was last seen playing alone in the playground between 1pm and 3pm that afternoon.

His remains were recovered in the water, close to the Belfast Boat Club.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “We are acutely aware of the pain and suffering that Brian’s family continue to feel, and our thoughts very much remain with the family at this time.

“Despite the passage of time, this murder case has never been closed and I am hopeful that someone may be able to provide information, no matter how small, which may open a new line of inquiry, or add a new dimension to information already available.

“It is also possible that someone who did not volunteer information at the time may be willing to speak with police now. Legacy Investigation Branch Detectives will consider all investigative opportunities as part of the review into Brian’s murder.”

UK

Premier League flexes its financial muscle in record-breaking transfer window

Published

4 hours ago

September 2, 2025

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Premier League flexes its financial muscle in record-breaking transfer window

The transfer window was a show of strength in a record-breaking summer across the Premier League.

The totaliser crept over £3bn in spending, with more than half of it flowing among the 20 clubs rather than having a redistributing effect across Europe.

The start of new Premier League TV deals – the biggest individual source of income being from Sky News’ parent company Comcast – provides certainty for the next four years, while rival leagues can struggle to sell rights.

And the feared threat from Saudi Arabia has not materialised. It is an attractive and lucrative destination for some players, but not yet the ultimate destination.

But the kingdom has still influenced this transfer window.

Let’s start with Newcastle, four years into their ownership by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.

Having secured a return to the Champions League, bringing UEFA riches, this was the summer to grow rather than lose talent to rivals.

But the Premier League’s pecking order became clear when Alexander Isak pushed for a move to Liverpool and rejected bids that did not deter his ambitions.

Player power won out.

The 25-year-old striker was able to withdraw himself from the squad, miss the opening three matches of the season, and put out a statement claiming promises had been broken by the Magpies.

Liverpool ‘loading up on talent’

And so he held on until deadline day, biding his time, sitting it out, and standing firm. Newcastle folded, accepting £125m – £20m lower than their apparent valuation.

Breaking the British record fee was Liverpool’s American ownership flexing financial muscle like never before.

The Premier League champions allowed manager Arne Slot to build from a position of strength.

This was the second time they broke the record in this window after bringing in another forward, Florian Wirtz, in a £116m deal.

More than £400m in reinforcements arrived at Anfield in a matter of weeks.

Former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow told Sky Sports: “Liverpool are making hay while the sun shines, going for it. Really loading up on talent.

“Other clubs should be fearful and respectful of the way [Fenway Sports Group] are running their club.”

The Isak deal weakened their Champions League rivals from the North East after banking £57m from another club owned by the Public Investment Fund when Darwin Nunez was offloaded to Saudi.

And PIF funded Chelsea’s summer spending spree in less obvious ways.

The Blues did negotiate a £44m package with PIF-backed Al Nassr deal for Joao Felix, recouping the fee paid just a year earlier.

But then there was the £90m prize money collected for winning the new FIFA Club World Cup – a competition bankrolled by PIF subsidiaries.

Where does this leave Newcastle? Still spending around £250m.

Players and Liverpool couldn’t get all their way this summer, with Marc Guehi forced to stay at Crystal Palace after the FA Cup winners failed to secure a replacement for the England centre-back.

The late drama was just the latest of the summer transfer window’s twists and turns.

Both Arsenal and Manchester United also spent more than £200m each. The Gunners spent big in pursuit of a title that’s eluded them since 2004, while the Red Devils are just trying to get back into the Champions League.

It added up to a new record total outlay that comfortably eclipsed the previous Premier League record of £2.46bn from 2023.

The £3bn is more than the rest of Europe combined, showing both where the power is in world football and why the Premier League is the one the world wants to watch.