NHS Surgeon Admits Self-Amputation, Fraud Over Insurance Claims

Neil Hopper, an NHS vascular surgeon who had his legs amputated below the knee, has admitted to deliberately causing his own injuries and subsequently lying to insurance companies by falsely claiming the amputations were due to sepsis. He pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation, seeking to gain over £466,000 from insurers by misrepresenting the nature of his injuries. Hopper also admitted to possessing extreme pornographic material linked to an extreme body modification website run by Marius Gustavson, who was jailed for life for leading a body modification ring involving genital nullification and other severe procedures. Despite his criminal actions, there has been no evidence suggesting any risk to patients during his tenure at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, from which he has been suspended since March 2023. The investigation into Hopper was connected to the arrest of Gustavson, and the hospital trust has encouraged former patients with concerns to reach out. Hopper had previously publicly described his injuries as resulting from sepsis following a family camping trip, a narrative now proven false.