Man charged with manslaughter after woman dies at slapping therapy workshop
Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, died at Cleeve House in Seend, Wiltshire, where she was taking part in a workshop to help her diabetes
A man has been charged with manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of a woman at a slapping therapy workshop at a country hotel.
Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, died at Cleeve House in Seend, Wiltshire, where she was taking part in a workshop to help her diabetes on Oct 20 in 2016.
The workshop is understood to involve paida lajin therapy, which sees patients being slapped or slapping themselves repeatedly.
Mrs Carr-Gomm, from Lewes, East Sussex, was previously said, by her family, to have embraced alternative and holistic medicine and therapies.
On Thursday, Wiltshire Police announced that Hongchi Xiao had been charged with Mrs Carr-Gomm’s manslaughter by gross negligence.
A force spokesman said: “Hongchi Xiao, 60, of Cloudbreak, California, returned to the United Kingdom from Australia on an extradition warrant and has been taken to Gablecross custody in Swindon where he was charged.
“This relates to the death of Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, at Cleeve House in Seend in October 2016.”
The force said Mr Xiao was due to appear before Salisbury magistrates’ court on Friday.
‘No scientific basis’
Mrs Carr-Gomm, who was born in France and moved to the UK aged 21, was diagnosed with diabetes in 1999 and struggled to inject insulin due to a fear of needles.
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.”
The paida lajin method involves patients being slapped or slapping themselves. The name “paida” derives from the Mandarin words for patting “pai” and slapping “da” the skin, while “lajin” is about adopting muscle-stretching postures.
Paida and lajin are linked to the traditional Chinese medicine concept of “sha”, the idea that the blood is poisoned by toxins and needs to be expelled. They are thought to improve circulation and draw out “sha”.
The method has been criticised for having no scientific basis.
Mr Xiao is a natural healer and founder of the Pailala Institute in California and has written Heal Yourself Naturally Now, exploring the benefits of paida lajin. He has led workshops on the practice around the world.
The Pailala Institute website sells portable lajin benches and hand-shaped “slapper” implements.
In 2019, Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: “Paida Lajin is extremely dangerous.
“We urge people not to take part in this unsafe practice.”
After hearing that cancer patients were being encouraged to use this therapy, he said: “It couldn’t be more worrying to see that it is being advertised in place of seeing a doctor, and its claims about cancer bear no relation to any scientific facts.
“A cancer diagnosis can be incredibly difficult so it’s understandable why patients look for alternative treatments, but no one with cancer should be offered this painful and horrific experience.”
%n
Sign up to the Front Page newsletter for free: Your essential guide to the day’s agenda from The Telegraph – direct to your inbox seven days a week.