2025-07-23T09:42:07Z

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Imagine a respected vascular surgeon, once celebrated as one of Britain’s bravest individuals, found in the midst of a scandal so bizarre, it feels like something ripped straight from a dark TV drama. Neil Hopper, 49, has been charged with not only lying about how he lost his legs but also encouraging extreme body modifications in others.

Hopper, who hails from Truro in Cornwall, is facing serious legal repercussions as he stands accused of two counts of fraud by false representation and a charge of encouraging grievous bodily harm, a crime that evokes both horror and disbelief.

The allegations are haunting. Between June 3 and June 26 of 2019, Hopper is said to have falsely claimed to insurance companies that his leg injuries were due to sepsis and not self-inflicted. But the plot thickens. From August 21, 2018, to December 4, 2020, he reportedly purchased videos from the notorious 'EunuchMaker' website, which showcases the removal of limbs, reportedly to embolden a man named Marius Gustavson to carry out similar surgeries on others.

Since March 2023, Hopper has been suspended from the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, where he worked for nearly a decade. Following his arrest, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service imposed restrictions on his practice, and he has remained on the medical register's suspension list since December 2023.

A spokeswoman for Devon and Cornwall Police stated, 'The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust has worked closely with Devon and Cornwall Police throughout the investigation.' This collaboration raises questions about the trust and safety of patients under Hopper's care, although the hospital maintains that the charges do not relate to his professional conduct.

Hopper gained national recognition in 2020 when he appeared on 'This Morning' and was honored as one of the bravest individuals in Britain, receiving the Against All Odds title at the Amplifon Awards for Brave Britons. He shared his tragic story of how sepsis, which he claimed he contracted during a family camping trip, changed his life forever. In an eerie twist, he suggested that his tumultuous journey has somehow made his life more interesting.

In an equally shocking narrative, Marius Gustavson, the man connected to the videos Hopper allegedly purchased, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years in May 2024, after performing gruesome surgeries on paying customers. The chilling nature of this case raises alarm bells about the potential dangers lurking in the realms of extreme body modifications.

As Hopper prepares to appear before Cornwall Magistrates' Court, many are left questioning how someone who was once viewed as a hero could descend into such a dark abyss of deception and violence. The complexities of this case will surely leave a lasting impact on the medical community and society at large.