A former NHS vascular surgeon from Cornwall has been struck off the medical register after deliberately amputating both his own legs to satisfy a sexual amputation fetish. Dr Neil Hopper, 50, who worked at Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, caused severe frostbite by immersing his legs in dry ice for eight hours in April 2019. His colleagues were forced to surgically amputate both legs below the knees. He then fraudulently claimed sepsis was responsible for his injuries and received £466,000 in insurance payouts.
Deliberate Self-injury
Hopper purchased 20kg of dry ice and used it to freeze his legs, resulting in irreparable tissue damage. The amputation took place under medical supervision after he sought emergency treatment. The injuries were self-inflicted as part of an extreme sexual fetish involving limb loss.
Fraud And Deception
To conceal the true cause of his injuries, Hopper lied to his hospital and two insurers, falsely stating he contracted sepsis during a camping trip. The insurance payouts he received were used to fund lavish home renovations, including a hot tub and campervan.
Conviction Court
Hopper’s actions came to light during a police probe into an online network distributing extreme body modification content. Investigators uncovered over 1,500 messages between Hopper and the website operator discussing limb freezing techniques. He pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation and three counts of possessing extreme pornographic images.
Sentencing And Professional Impact
At Truro Crown Court, Dr Hopper was sentenced to 32 months in prison and received a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. An independent tribunal later ruled his fitness to practise was impaired, citing a high risk to public protection. Despite his extreme case, clinical reviews found no evidence his fetish compromised patient care during his NHS career from 2013 to 2023. This disturbing case raises serious questions about mental health and professional conduct in the medical field.
