In his very first post on UK-Skeptics on 30th August last year Gary claimed to "currently work with many leading doctors and medical professionals". When challenged to come up with some names he eventually - on 5th December - produced three: Dr Gowri Motha (pioneer of the water birth method), with whom he had worked as an assistant; Manesh Naidoo (Head of Physiotherapy at London's Northwick Park Hospital); and Glen Davies, a homeopathic doctor with 30 years of experience. When Gary gave a "demonstration of psychic surgery" at St James' Church, Piccadilly, on 4th February this year, he repeated these three names. Anyone familiar with the world of woo will know that most believers will take Gary at his word and look no further, but if Gary expected similar treatment from sceptics he was in for an unpleasant surprise.

by Julia

First of all, is it likely that Dr Gowri Motha - a woman whose patients have included Gwyneth Paltow, Stella McCartney and Madonna - would risk her reputation by being "assisted" by an unqualified 19 year old? I found Gary's claim very hard to believe but it took quite a while to get a response from Dr Motha herself. Although she knows Gary, Dr Motha had not seen him for a year, shared my concern at his "extravagant claims" and is "yet to be impressed by him". She also told me that she will ask Gary NOT to use her name at any of his future talks! Not exactly a good choice of reference, Gary...

Secondly, who is the mysterious Manesh Naidoo? Several readers of both "BadPsychics" and "UK-Skeptics" lost no time in launching a Google search for this person, but the few hits it produced led straight back to Gary. If Manesh Naidoo was a physiotherapist he hadn't bothered to join any professional associations in the UK and wasn't connected to Northwick Park. Just to make sure I contacted the hospital and received this reply from Claire Walker, Director of Therapies and Acute Outreach Services:

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It's worth remembering that Gary is still only 20. If there ever was a Manesh Naidoo (or someone of a similar name) at Northwick Park Gary could have been no older that 15 when they worked together! Sangita Patel, the REAL Head of Physiotherapy, also contacted me to express her concern about Gary's use of the hospital's name:

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I spoke to Ms Patel on 3rd March. During our conversation she explained that there is a physiotherapist called Mannie at the hospital who is a friend of Gary's and has fallen for his act hook, line and sinker. Ms Patel has asked Mannie to give Gary a message - if he doesn't stop naming Northwick Park in his false claims the hospital will take legal action against him. Ms Patel also told me that she was astonished that any healthcare professional could take Gary's outlandish claims seriously.

Thirdly, surely an established homeopathic doctor such as Glen Davies should be easy to find? Alas for Gary - no. Dr Davies seems to share Manesh Naidoo's aversion to publicity because he isn't listed as a member of any of the professional associations for homeopaths. I searched for Glen Davies, Glen Davis, Glenn Davies and Glenn Davis to no avail, and no-one of those names appears to be practising in the UK or any English-speaking country.

Since Gary refuses to name any of the GPs he also claims to work with, we are left with one person who doesn't want to be associated with him and two who seem to be non-existent. Of course, if Gary can prove that Naidoo and Davies are real people I'll be happy to publish a retraction.

So where does this leave us? It suggests to me that if Gary Mannion is unable to tell the truth about a simple thing such as who he's worked with he's probably lying about his "abilities" as a psychic surgeon, medium and hynotherapist. His childish reaction to being caught out is worth quoting:

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"Come out with their real names"? Gary, the only name you got right was that of Dr Gowri Motha, the woman who has since told you to stop using it in your talks! Have you never heard of ASKING someone if you can use their name as a reference and making sure that you spell it correctly? We know that Manesh Naidoo hasn't worked at Northwick Park during the last five years - if at all - and Gary still hasn't produced Dr Glen Davies. I'm also intrigued by his novel use of the word "thankfully" and atrocious spelling and grammar. Wouldn't you think that a man who deals with the spirit world on a regular basis would be able to channel a dead English teacher or two?

As for the paranoid nonsense about "harase" and "threats" - yes, I have (very politely) brought Gary's lies and evasions to the attention of the venues at which he will be appearing in the near future. I think they should know exactly what they're dealing with - a young man whose thinly-veiled claim to have cured terminal cancer earned him a verbal warning from his local Trading Standards Authority, who used the copyrighted technique "Brain Gym" despite being untrained and unaccredited, and who has gone for far too long without being subject to an in-depth investigation.