A former surgeon is due to appear in court in Bodmin on Wednesday after he was charged with offences relating to the amputation of his legs.
Devon and Cornwall Police said Neil Hopper, 49, from Truro, had been charged with two counts of insurance fraud after he allegedly told insurers the injuries to his legs were due to sepsis and were not self-inflicted.
They said Mr Hopper had also been charged with encouraging or assisting the commission of grievous bodily harm.
Mr Hopper had been employed by the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust from 2013 until he was arrested in March 2023, police added.
Mr Hopper is charged that between 3 and 26 June 2019 he committed fraud by making a false representation to insurers, namely that the injuries to his legs were the result of sepsis and were not self-inflicted.
He also faces a charge that between 21 August 2018 and 4 December 2020 he bought videos from a website called The Eunuch Maker which showed the removal of limbs and that he encouraged Marius Gustavson to remove the body parts of third parties.
A spokesperson for the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust said: “The charges do not relate to Mr Hopper’s professional conduct and there has been no evidence to suggest any risk to patients.
“Former patients with any questions or concerns about their treatment can contact the Royal Cornwall Hospitals’ Patient Experience team,” they added.
