A former surgeon, originally from Penrhyncoch, had been charged with two counts of insurance fraud after he allegedly told insurers the injuries to his legs were due to sepsis and were not self-inflicted.

Neil Hopper, now of Truro, Cornwall, is due to appear before Bodmin Magistrates' Court today (Wednesday, 23 July) following an investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police, which began in February 2023.

The 49-year-old is alleged to have encouraged someone else to remove the body parts of others and gave false representations to insurers when he had his own legs amputated, is due in court charged with fraud.

Hopper is charged with two counts of fraud by false representation between 3 and 26 June 2019 by dishonestly making a false representation to insurers that the injuries to his legs were the result of sepsis and were not self-inflicted.

He is also charged with buying videos from a website called The Eunuch Maker which showed the removal of limbs and encouraging Marius Gustavson to remove the body parts of third parties between 21 August 2018 and 4 December 2020.

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, where Mr Hopper has been employed, has worked closely with Devon and Cornwall Police throughout the investigation.

Hopper had General Medical Council restrictions in place from April 2023 and has been suspended from the medical register since December 2023.

A spokesperson for the trust said: “The charges do not relate to Mr Hopper’s professional conduct and there has been no evidence to suggest any risk to patients.

“Mr Hopper worked in at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals from 2013 until he was suspended from duty in March 2023, following his initial arrest.”