Fearful patients of surgeon charged for removing his own legs speak out amid sentencing
The patients of Neil Hopper are speaking out after the former vascular surgeon was charged with purposefully having his own legs removed.
While Hopper became a poster boy for the amputee community and was even awarded the Against All Odds title at the Amplifon Awards for Brave Britons 2020, it turned out his amputation wasn't the result of sepsis.
Instead, courts heard how Hopper had his legs amputated in an attempt to defraud insurers for £446,000 ($631,000), as well as having a "sexual interest in amputation."
Hopper was linked to a website known as 'Eunuch Maker', its owner Marius Gustavson, and graphic videos that involved the castration of males as young as 16.
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Judge James Adkin sentenced Hopper to 32 months in jail, while Gustavson had previously been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 22 years when he appeared at the Old Bailey in 2024.
It's confirmed that Hopper was practising as a surgeon for the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust from 2013 until he was suspended in March 2023, and although a spokesperson for the Trust has reiterated his conviction doesn't relate to his work there, patients are now fearful about surgeries he undertook on them.
Despite the trust previously reiterating "there has been no evidence to suggest any risk to patients," multiple amputees have supposedly come forward to share their concerns with South West-based medical negligence firm, Enable Law.
As reported by WalesOnline, Enable Law's Mike Bird says there is "shock and grave concern" among Hopper's former patients.
The firm's partner explained: "Some have had life-changing surgery and are now worried it was not really needed.
"While we understand that RCHT have said that the charges do not relate to his professional conduct and there is apparently no evidence suggesting any risk to patients, this is such a serious situation that there must be a rigorous public investigation."
Bird says it's 'no wonder' that Hopper's former patients are questioning his methods, especially after the court heard how he covered his own legs in ice and dry ice to encourage amputation, all while claiming he'd contracted sepsis on a family trip.
He continued: "The patients we are advising want answers and above all, want to know that the Trust is doing all it can to investigate and support them."
Still, not everyone is concerned. Speaking to the BBC, former patient Jason Abbot said he wasn't worried about having his foot amputated back in November 2022. Praising Hopper's care, Abbot admitted: "He was great, very supportive of the situation, [he gave] me loads of information about it and told me to have a really good think about it and I did...I never thought he would do anything like that."
Now, Enable Law is working alongside the Limbless Association Charity and says there has to be "a proper independent investigation, conducted openly and transparently."
Saying that the firm wants to work with the RCHT to ensure there is "proper scrutiny and accountability, and that patients are protected," Bird concluded: "We are also strongly recommending that the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust immediately puts in place psychological and medical support and works with Limbless Association experts to manage patient communication."