The Hypnotist, Mr Paul McKenna, emerged victorious from the High Court yesterday after successfully defending an action brought by one of his stage show volunteers, who claimed the experience transformed him into an aggressive schizophrenic.
Mr Justice Toulson ruled it was a coincidence that Mr Christopher Gates, who had been claiming £200,000 damages from Mr McKenna, developed the acute mental illness days after he attended the hypnotist's stage show.
He said it was perfectly understandable that Mr Gates, of Downley, Buckinghamshire, should have believed his sudden descent into mental illness was caused by the hypnotic experience, but this was not the case.
The court had heard that Mr Gates (30) had been made to believe by Mr McKenna that he was a ballet dancer, an interpreter for aliens from outer space, Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, and a naughty schoolboy.
While in a trance, which lasted two hours and 15 minutes, Mr McKenna told him that a woman was wearing special glasses that allowed her to see him naked.
The furniture polisher was unable to sleep after participating in the stage show in March 1994 and the following day at work his supervisor noticed a marked change in his behaviour; at times he giggled for no apparent reason or he displayed irrational aggression.
Mr Gates's ordeal was described by his girlfriend, Ms Beverley Gibbs, as horrendous. She said he paced around his bedroom shouting: "Kill McKenna" and refused to bathe as he feared the hypnotist was waiting for him in the bathroom. He thought he would die if he went to sleep and believed he could stop cars with his eyes.
Nine days after he attended the stage show, he was admitted to hospital suffering from acute schizophrenia and he has been unable to work ever since.
However, Mr Justice Toulson concluded in a 38-page judgment: "Schizophrenia is an organic illness which could not be caused by hypnosis. The plaintiff was already either suffering from schizophrenia or was on the point of doing so at the time of the show, and the connection in time between his appearance on the show and the manifestation of the illness was a coincidence.
"By taking part in the show the plaintiff consented to participating in what were no more than a series of silly sketches, harmless in themselves. By all accounts the plaintiff appeared to be the star performer of the evening."
Mr McKenna, who describes himself as an expert in the art but not science of hypnosis, said he was delighted by the result but claimed the cost of clearing his name added up to £1 million in lost business and sponsorships.
"While we feel great sympathy for Mr Gates and his family, today's verdict has proved conclusively that hypnosis was not and could not have been the cause of his schizophrenia," he said.
Mr Johnny Hillyard, chairman of the Federation of Ethical Stage Hypnotists said: "Perhaps now people will realise that stage hypnotism is just a bit of fun, is perfectly safe, and that there's nothing for them to be frightened of."
But the National Schizophrenia Fellowship yesterday advised anyone with a history of mental illness in their family or who had recently suffered a traumatic event not to put themselves forward for hypnosis, unless under strict professional supervision.