Woman sues stage hypnotist over 'abuse memories' - News about religious cults and sects

A woman has launched a High Court damages action over a hypnotism act which she claims regressed her to the age of eight and reawakened memories of sexual abuse.

Lynn Howarth claims hypnotist Philip Green was negligent in the way he carried out his act at Wyresdale Amateur Football and Social Club in February 1994.

Mr Green, of Great Harwood, Lancs, denies liability and causation.

The 40-year-old mother-of-seven alleges the routine triggered a depressive illness which culminated in two suicide attempts, although she is now fully recovered.

Her counsel, Julian Waters, told Mr Justice Leveson in London that the case was not an attack on stage hypnosis - and Mrs Howarth did not want a finding that it was dangerous and should be banned. But she did claim that, in this instance, Mr Green was careless towards her.
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In documents before the court, Mrs Howarth claimed that she was induced to chase what she believed were fairies around the hall, drink a glass of cider believing it was water and believe she was in love with Mr Green.

Mr Waters said that when afterwards Mrs Howarth's husband, Brian, asked Mr Green to help his wife, Mr Green instead continued with the act.

A week later, Mrs Howarth told her GP that she felt she was in a trance and developed a serious clinical depression which included the suicide bids and made her put her children into nursery because she could not cope.

Mr Waters said that Mrs Howarth would have to establish that she was the victim of abuse as a child and that the episode of age regression rekindled those memories and brought back to life the trauma she had suffered.
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