Elderly perv falsely diagnosed cancer in women so he could sexually assault, use weird gadgets on them

In Wales, 77 year old Reginald Gill has been sent to prison for 8 years after falsely "diagnosing" cancer for women who sought health aid.

Gill, who is not a doctor, gave the women phony homeopathic treatment for their phonily-diagnosed cancer, including the use of these bogus healing machines and a form of electroshock therapy.

He told one woman she could be cured of cancer if a man sucked her breasts for half an hour each day.

He sexually assaulted victims in a variety of ways, including sticking gadgets up orifices:

[One] victim, who had experience of and was interested in alternative therapies, told the court that Mr Gill had examined her internally before telling her she had cancer and that he could "get rid of most of it today".

He then inserted an instrument inside her which gave her electric shocks. The court was told that after 20 minutes Mr Gill removed the machine and he and Mrs Gill rubbed oil on her chest before using another machine on the same area.

Initially the victim had told police that she didn't think Mr Gill was getting any sexual gratification but she later said his heavy breathing suggested he was.

Some of his victims were men; some did, in fact, have cancer. The Gill case was first exposed on a BBC television program.

All of this is yet another reason to run screaming when offered "alternative" treatment for cancer. But it's not just the woo-peddlers, homeopaths, and quacks: when I was trying to find a place to go get my first mammogram, I remember reading online reviews of one local women's breast cancer screening clinic. Reviews written by women who'd gone there. Those reviews detailed first-hand accounts of sexually inappropriate touching and skeevy come-on vibes, from the male medical practitioner who ran the clinic. Cancer patients, and women in particular, beware.

• [chellberty]

  So which portion of the 8 years is for the quackery that is homeopathy.

• [Tess]

  8 years is not enough.  UGH.

• [That_Anonymous_Coward]

  Maybe 8 years having his own shocking probe used on him every 10 seconds would be enough.

• [teapot]

  I’m pleased to see your support of late of evidence-based medicine Xeni. I hope all is well with your battle – there are a lot of Boingers who are thinking of you.

• [Hanglyman]

  “phony homeopathic treatment”

  Also known as “homeopathic treatment”.

• [Colin Rosenthal]

  It’s like he’s rediscovered Victorian gynæcology.

• [bigmike7]

  When I lived in Atlanta, a man was arrested for going door-to-door, selling life insurance at incredible deals, but requiring men to submit to a ‘routine’ prostate exam in their living rooms. Dozens had fallen for it and kept silent until one victim finally spilled the beans.

• [Carlos Cardoso]

  “phony homeopathic treatment” what a cute pleonasm. Here in Brazil a lot of people buy a very (artificially) expensive crap called Sun Mushroom, another magical cure for cancer that the big farma companies bla bla bla. The worst part: I watched a neighboor´s aunt die, full of debts, because she didn´t believed in medicine, and those mushrooms would cure her anyway. 

  Stupidity, on the long term, kills.

• [TokenFrenchDude]

  They didn’t feel something was odd when the dude shoved things in orifices ?

• [Richard_Kirk]

  Did you stick this above the “10 Delightful Practical Jokes” article for max boffo? Or is this just another case of the universe at large dicking with our heads?

• [RedShirt77]

  Wow. How vital to your survival does something need to be for it to get critical thought?

  I mean, mistaking water and novelty dildos for cancer treatment is pretty moronic.

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    Targeted ultrasound is the latest breakthrough for prostate cancer. How do you think they target it?

• [Cowicide]

  He told one woman she could be cured of cancer if a man sucked her breasts for half an hour each day.

  Checked URL for The Onion… very disappointed.