Conman cancer therapist is jailed

Stephen Hall said he would have difficulty affording the £2,500

An alternative therapist has been jailed for 12 months for falsely claiming a treatment he sold a dying man would "kill" his pancreatic cancer.

Reginald Gill, 69, of Wilson Road, Bournemouth, gave treatments to Stephen Hall, 43, of Flint, North Wales, which he claimed could help his body heal.

The trial heard Gill sold a machine for £2,500 to Mr Hall, despite him saying he would have difficult affording it.

It had in fact been bought from an Australian company for less than £200.

My message to other so-called alternative healers is we are on your case Sheila Cracknell

Mr Hall, a voice coach, died 10 weeks later.

Gill was convicted in December of making a false statement about services provided to Mr Hall on 10 May 2002, and supplying goods with a false description on 17 May 2002.

Sentencing Gill at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, recorder Lorraine Morgan, said: "[Mr Hall was] a man in the prime of his life when he received the diagnosis that he was suffering from a most severe form of cancer.

"One can only imagine the fear he must have felt. You exploited that fear for your own financial gain.

"When I first began to hear this case, I considered and wondered if you might be a sincere but misguided eccentric.

"As the evidence has developed I did change my view.

"I find that in your evidence you demonstrated a disturbing level of callousness and cynicism towards Mr Hall."

'Pack of lies'

Outside the court, Mr Hall's mother, Sheila Cracknell, said the sentence served as a warning.

She said: "My message to other so-called alternative healers is we are on your case."

Before being sentenced, Gill said he would appeal if jailed.

He said: "I have got a new solicitor. The prosecution told a pack of lies. I paid £2,630 for the machine with a discount."

The case came to court after a complaint to the Medical Devices Agency and Poole Borough Council's trading standards department.