A former NHS surgeon who deliberately froze his legs to necessitate amputation, driven by a sexual obsession, has been jailed for 32 months after defrauding insurers of nearly £500,000. Neil Hopper, 49, a vascular surgeon at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation, claiming his legs were amputated due to sepsis rather than self-inflicted injury.
Hopper also admitted three charges of possessing extreme pornographic images, including videos from the website EunuchMaker. The court heard that in April 2019, he used dry ice to freeze his legs beyond viability, fulfilling a long-held sexual ambition. After the amputation, he received £466,653.81 from Aviva and Old Mutual Health, spending the money on a campervan, hot tub, wood burner, and building works.
Judge James Adkin, sentencing at Truro Crown Court, imposed a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and ordered a proceeds of crime investigation. Hopper, who will lose his home, was suspended from duty in March 2023 after his arrest and from the medical register in December 2023. His wife is seeking a divorce.
The trust stated the charges did not relate to his professional conduct and there was no evidence of risk to patients. However, former patients, including some who underwent amputations, have sought legal advice from Enable Law over concerns about their treatment. Hopper had spoken publicly about his amputation in BBC and S4C interviews, and was shortlisted for a European Space Agency astronaut search for disabled candidates.
