Slapping therapist jailed over death 'released early'

Image source, Wiltshire Police Image caption, Hongchi Xiao led workshops that encouraged people to slap themselves to rid themselves of "poisonous waste" Published 54 minutes ago An alternative healer jailed over the death of a woman at one of his workshops has been released from prison just 18 months into a 10-year sentence, it is understood. Hongchi Xiao, 63, from California, was convicted and sentenced in 2024 for the manslaughter by gross negligence of 71-year-old Danielle Carr-Gomm in 2016. Carr-Gomm, who was diabetic, died while taking part in a therapy event in Wiltshire, which involved people being slapped or slapping themselves repeatedly. On Friday, during a Court of Appeal hearing where an application to overturn his conviction was quashed, it emerged Xiao had been returned to the US and was believed to no longer be in custody. The BBC has approached the Ministry of Justice for comment. In his judgment, Lord Justice Dingemans said it seemed Xiao had been returned to the US on 2 July through the Facilitated Return Scheme as a foreign national offender, as well as through the Early Release Scheme. However, he added: "Other information suggests he was deported on 30 June 2026. It seems that Mr Xiao is not in custody in the USA." Xiao had been extradited from Australia for the trial into Carr-Gomm's death . He had previously been prosecuted there after a six-year-old boy also died when his parents withdrew his insulin medication after attending Xiao's workshop in Sydney. It was announced on Wednesday that new Prime Minister Andy Burnham was pausing an upcoming scheme that would have seen thousands of prisoners in England and Wales eligible to be released from prison early. More from Wiltshire Crash victim remembered for 'profound kindness' Published 5 hours ago Crowds welcome return of major festival Published 8 hours ago 'My farmer grandpa wouldn't get his head around this' Published 14 hours ago As part of the Court of Appeal hearing, lawyers for Xiao argued that a waiver – which Carr-Gomm and the other participants signed to say the therapist was not liable for any injuries or illnesses arising from the activities – had been inappropriately summed up to the jury by Mr Justice Bright at trial. They also said the judge misdirected the jury about evidence from another of the participants. But Lord Justice Dingemans, sitting with Mr Justice Murray and Judge Andrew Lees, said on Friday the previous judge "was entitled to set out the evidence as he understood it". Image caption, Carr-Gomm died after she stopped taking her insulin at one of Xiao's workshops In a judgment, he also said: "As it is, we do not consider that the judge's comments about the waiver rendered the trial unfair or the verdict unsafe. "This is because the judge was simply pointing out that the waiver did not reflect the reality of the relationship between Ms Carr-Gomm and Mr Xiao." He said Mr Justice Bright did misdirect the jury about the waiver, but only on it being