Neil Hopper, once heralded as one of the bravest people in the United Kingdom, is now facing serious legal trouble. The 49-year-old vascular surgeon, who lost both legs below the knee and became a public symbol of resilience, has been charged with multiple offences, including fraud by false representation and encouraging grievous bodily harm.

Hopper first captured national attention after winning the “Against All Odds” title at the Amplifon Awards for Brave Britons 2020, in recognition of his life-changing journey. He spoke publicly about how his legs had been amputated due to sepsis and how he relearned to walk, even claiming he did so far faster than expected. He attracted sympathy and admiration—not only as a surgeon who treated many others, but as a patient who had endured perhaps the worst fate of his own patients.

However, behind the inspiring public narrative, a darker chapter has since emerged. In July 2025, Hopper appeared at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court, accused by Devon & Cornwall Police of making false representations to insurers and encouraging criminal harm. Prosecutors allege that between 3 June and 26 June 2019, he dishonestly claimed to insurers that his leg injuries were the result of sepsis, not self-inflicted damage. They say these claims were made with the intent of financial gain. Furthermore, between August 2018 and December 2020, he is alleged to have purchased videos from an extreme body-modification website known as The EunuchMaker, which showed the removal of limbs. The court also heard he encouraged Marius Gustavson (the site’s owner) to remove body parts from other people, effectively aiding in the commission of grievous bodily harm.

The vascular surgeon claimed he lost his legs due to sepsis (Instagram / bionicsurgeon)

As investigations deepened, disturbing motivations surfaced. According to court documents and reporting from BBC News, Hopper deliberately froze his lower legs using dry ice, causing irreversible tissue damage that eventually necessitated below-knee amputations. Prosecutors described his actions as driven by a longstanding sexual interest in amputation. In his messages with Gustavson, Hopper allegedly expressed that becoming a double amputee had been a dream for many years. 

In September 2025, Hopper pleaded guilty at Truro Crown Court to two counts of fraud by false representation and three counts of possessing extreme pornographic images. The court heard that the total fraudulent insurance payout he obtained—by falsely claiming his amputations were illness-related—was approximately £466,653.81 (about USD 600,000). Judge James Adkin, sentencing him to 32 months in prison, expressed grave concern over the nature of the content in the videos, calling the level of harm “exceptionally high.” In addition, Hopper was handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. 

Hopper’s spending following the payout revealed the scale of his deception: he used the money on a luxury campervan, prosthetics, high-end home improvements (including a hot tub), and other personal expenditures. According to court testimony, he also reportedly told a friend he planned to “milk” the injury for as much as possible. 

His case has raised serious questions—not only about his personal motives, but also about his professional legacy. While Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, where Hopper worked from 2013 until his suspension in March 2023, has stated there is no evidence that his professional conduct endangered patients, some of his former patients are now demanding more clarity. A medical negligence firm, Enable Law, which is representing several of his patients, called for an independent investigation to determine whether any of them were subjected to unnecessary operations. 

Hopper now faces two charges of fraud (Instagram / bionicsurgeon)

In response, the trust said it has carried out "comprehensive clinical reviews" of all the surgeries Hopper performed, including consulting with independent clinical experts, and found no evidence of patient risk. 

Reflecting on how the public image of perseverance and bravery unraveled, a BBC journalist who interviewed Hopper in 2023 said she was deeply unsettled by the contrast between his media persona and the details revealed in court. 

In the end, what began as a rags-to-respect story—of a surgeon who suffered, recovered, and thrived—has become one of a very different sort: a grim scandal combining self-harm, financial deception, and criminal encouragement of physical harm. The case underscores how truth and narrative can diverge dramatically, and how public admiration may sometimes mask deeper, hidden struggles.