Update issued on surgeon who was jailed for 32 months following amputation of own legs
Neil Hopper was known for performing amputations on his patients, before he seemingly suffered sepsis and needed his own legs amputated.
However, it was later uncovered that the surgeon had purposely placed his feet in dry ice for up to eight hours, taking them to a point where they were deemed ‘unviable’.
What were Neil Hopper's charges?
Last year, Hopper was charged two counts of fraud by false representation and an additional charge for encouraging or assisting in the commission of grievous bodily harm.
This then escalated to include three charges of possessing extreme pornographic videos.
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The court heard how Hopper had a ‘sexual interest in amputation’, with him also accessing pornographic materials from a website known as Eunuch Maker.
The disgraced medic was sentenced to 32 months in prison and, in a new update, it has been revealed that a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel made the decision to remove him from the medical register.
Hopper spoke at the tribunal from prison, where he said: “I attended the tribunal not to change the outcome but to prove I understand the seriousness.
“I felt obliged to face the consequences in person. I do have principles, so I chose to face justice head on.”
The former surgeon claimed that it has taken him ‘years to come to terms’ with what he has done, adding that he is a ‘man of deep reflection and conscience’.
Hopper continued: “I’m not only ashamed of my actions, I’m appalled I was part of the machinery.
“I cannot convey how sorry I am. It's behaviour I find impossible to understand. I'm so, so sorry.
“I’ve never tried to excuse my actions, they were inexcusable. At the time, I had no understanding of the motivations.”
The surgeon suffered a 'mystery illness' before having his legs amputated
In May 2019, Hopper underwent below the knee amputations for a ‘mysterious illness’, but in reality, prosecutor Nicholas Lee said in court that he used ice and dry ice to freeze the limbs so they would be amputated.
Judge James Adkin was told that Hopper was identified following an investigation into Eunuch Maker owner Marius Gustavson.
While Adkin said Hopper was remorseful, he reiterated that the ‘level of harm’ in terms of body mutilation in the three videos that were the subject of the pornography charges was ‘exceptionally high’.
Hopper said that although he doesn't regret the operations, he ‘bitterly regrets’ the ‘dishonesty’ surrounding the amputation.