In a deeply disturbing case, a respected NHS vascular surgeon who performed hundreds of amputations has been jailed for two years and eight months for insurance fraud and possessing extreme pornography. According to a report from the BBC, Neil Hopper, 49, from Cornwall, secretly used ice and dry ice to freeze his own legs, leading to their necessary below-the-knee amputation in 2019. He then lied to insurers, claiming the amputations were the result of sepsis, and fraudulently claimed over £466,000. The court heard he had messaged a friend about the insurance claims, saying he should "milk it."
The motivations behind Hopper's actions were revealed to be a disturbing combination of a lifelong body dysphoria and a "sexual interest in amputation."
His lawyer stated that since childhood, Hopper had felt his feet were an "unwelcome extra" and a source of constant discomfort.
The investigation uncovered his connection to the notorious "EunuchMaker" website, run by the jailed Marius Gustavson. Hopper had purchased videos showing men willingly having their genitals removed and exchanged about 1,500 messages with Gustavson, discussing his own self-amputation methods.
The case has left former patients reeling. While the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and the police have stated that Hopper's convictions do not relate to his professional conduct and that their reviews found no evidence of harm to patients, the revelations have caused "shock and grave concern." A law firm representing former patients noted that some who underwent life-changing surgery from Hopper are now "worried it was not really needed." Despite the trust's assurances, the case has prompted calls for a rigorous public investigation into his work.