Vascular surgeon who froze his legs with dry ice jailed for £466k insurance scam

Neil Hopper, 49, pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud by false representation relating to claims totalling more than £466,000.

The claims were made to two insurance companies that his legs had been amputated due to illness rather than self-inflicted injury.

He also admitted three charges of possessing extreme pornographic images, relating to videos by a website called the EunuchMaker run by Marius Gustavson, which depicted genital mutilation.

Hopper, of St Erme, Truro, Cornwall, entered guilty pleas to the five charges against him at Truro Crown Court on Thursday.

Judge James Adkin jailed him for 22 months for the fraud charges and a further 10 months for the extreme images charges.

The judge said: "In April 2019 you deliberately froze your lower legs causing direct damage using dry ice following instructions given by Mr Gustavson.

"You were admitted to hospital when you have the symptoms of sepsis well knowing what the medics will be looking out.

"You were in hospital for six weeks and after many tests and a variety of treatments the medics decided your feet could not be saved and they amputated on May 17.

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"You subsequently made fraudulent insurance claims to Aviva and Old Mutual Wealth, receiving a total of £466,000 fraudulently by representing that the injuries were organic, caused by sepsis, when you caused the injury seemingly at least in part for sexual gratification."

The charges state that Hopper dishonestly made a false representation to Aviva and Old Mutual Health that his "legs had been amputated because of illness rather than self-inflicted injury".

The court heard Hopper used dry ice to freeze his legs to the extent they were no longer viable, requiring amputation - which had long been an ambition of his and one he had a sexual interest in.

Following the amputation, he made claims to the insurers which resulted in total pay outs of £466,653.81.

Hopper was identified following investigations into Gustavson, who led an extreme body modification ring which carried out male castration, penis removal and other procedures on people as young as 16.

Gustavson, who netted more than £300,000 for 2017 and 2021 from his EunuchMaker website, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years in prison at the Old Bailey last year.

Nicholas Lee, prosecuting, described the case as "unique" and said Hopper had purchased three videos from the website for £10 and £35, showing men having their genitals removed.

The surgeon also exchanged thousands of messages with Gustavson about his own lower leg amputations and how he had done it, including asking how much dry ice he used.

"It is evident from the messages that Mr Hopper wished to become an amputee and it was always something he had dreamt of," Mr Lee said.

"Something he has been obsessed with and had a sexual interest in becoming an amputee."

The court heard Hopper's wife and children were away from their home in St Erme when he immersed his feet in dry ice on April 15 2019.

While doing this he continued to message Gustavson, telling him: "It's going to be awesome being a double amputee."

He then sent Gustavson a picture of his erect penis.

Two days later a family friend was concerned for Hopper's welfare and paramedics were called to his home where they found him in bed with socks covering his feet and took him to the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

Hopper told doctors he had been unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting and they treated him for suspected sepsis before transferring him to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth to undergo treatment in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

On May 10, he underwent a double foot amputation and a week later surgeons carried out a further operation to remove his legs below the knees.

"It is apparent that Neil Hopper didn't tell the medical professionals doing all they could to help him the real cause of his injuries," Mr Lee said.

The court heard Hopper made the insurance claims on the basis he had developed septicaemia after suffering from fatigue and flu-like symptoms.

Mr Lee said he had been motivated by "greed" after telling his father he would only make a claim on the two policies if the payouts were substantial.

"If it's hundreds of thousands I'll cash it in, if its tens of thousands I'll leave it," Hopper told him.

He also messaged a friend, telling them: "I'll get a mong car from Motability for sure."

After receiving the compensation, Hopper spent the money on "luxury", Mr Lee said.

He spent £255,000 on building works at his home, had a £15,000 hot tub installed and spent £6,000 with a wood burner company.

Hopper also bought a £22,000 campervan, spent £13,000 on prosthetics and gave £52,000 to his wife.

Due to his disabilities, he also claimed £44,000 from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mr Lee said: "In his words he wanted to 'milk' the injuries for as much as possible.

"He was clearly motivated by personal gain and the spending of the money on luxury items such as the hot tub and the home improvements."

Hopper has not worked at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust since March 2023.

Restrictions were placed on his practice the following month, and he has been under an interim suspension from the medical register since December 2023.

Andrew Langdon KC, mitigating, said his client had grown up in a rural village in Wales and felt he was "in the wrong body" from a young age.

"He was troubled by his gender, he wanted to be female," Mr Langdon said.

He told how Hopper identified with body integrity identity disorder and those with a desire to amputate one or more healthy limbs.

Hopper described having persistent thoughts about his feet, which he felt were an "unwelcome extra", being amputated.

He recognises that his medical career is over, Mr Langdon said.

Quoting Hopper, the barrister said: "My thoughts and behaviour have not have any effect on my job.

"I worked very hard and always tried my best for my patients."

Speaking after the case, Richard Parkhouse of the Crown Prosecution Service, described it as "highly unusual and shocking".

"Hopper has a sexual fetish linked to amputation, and paid to access these images for his own gratification," he said.

Prosecutors would now make an application under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2022.

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, in a statement issued after the case, said Hopper's colleagues had received support and counselling.

"While the details of the charges are shocking, it is important to stress that the convictions do not relate to Mr Hopper's professional conduct," a spokesperson said.

"During a thorough and painstaking police investigation there were no links found to any patients he treated during his work."