A consultant vascular surgeon in the United Kingdom, Neil Hopper, has been sentenced to 32 months in prison after it was discovered that he deliberately injured himself with dry ice as part of a twisted sexual fantasy, despite previously claiming his amputations were caused by sepsis.
Hopper, 49, once appeared on national television where he told viewers he lost both legs after battling sepsis following a family camping trip. His story earned him widespread sympathy, and he was even described as “the bravest surgeon in Britain.” He later made headlines after being shortlisted in the European Space Agency’s search for an astronaut with a disability.
However, a Truro Crown Court heard that Hopper intentionally froze his legs until they became non-viable, leading to their amputation. Prosecutors revealed he attempted to defraud insurance companies of more than £466,000, seeking £235,622 from one firm and £231,031 from another. He admitted to fraud and also pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing extreme pornography.
Investigators linked Hopper to “Eunuch Maker” Marius Gustavson, who is currently serving a life sentence for leading an underground network encouraging extreme body mutilation. Court documents showed Hopper had purchased videos from Gustavson’s website and exchanged over 1,500 messages with him about his obsession with becoming an amputee.
Prosecutor Nicholas Lee told the court that Hopper’s interest in amputation was long-standing and sexually motivated. His lawyer, Andrew Langdon KC, said Hopper had always felt he was “in the wrong body” and in 2019 chose to inflict “irreversible damage” on himself while staying with his in-laws.
The revelations destroyed Hopper’s personal and professional life. His wife has filed for divorce, he faces losing his home, and his medical career has ended. The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, where he had worked since 2013, confirmed his suspension in March 2023 following his arrest, though it stressed that the case was unrelated to his professional conduct and that no patients had been put at risk.
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