Calling himself "The Eunuch Maker," Marius Gustavson performed castrations using tools designed for animals, often in London hotel rooms and squalid apartments. News of his gruesome crimes shocked the community.

Born in 1977 in a rural village outside Drammen, Norway, near Oslo, Gustavson was remembered as a gentle boy, lacking social skills and always trying to fit in. Nothing in his early life hinted at the disturbing path he would take.

In high school, Gustavson became more outgoing and a prominent figure in Drammen's LGBT community. However, he ran afoul of the law, embezzling £5,000 worth of goods. A few years later, he reoffended, embezzling £30,000 and serving an 8-month prison sentence.

In 2012, following a divorce, Gustavson left Norway for London and immersed himself in the "nullo" subculture – short for genital nullification – of people obsessed with castration. He soon created his own website, an online forum with over 22,000 members, where users could create profiles detailing what they wanted done, share images and videos, and purchase removed body parts. Using the username Theo (meaning God in Greek), Gustavson built an online reputation.

In 2017, he removed his own genitals and nipples.

Gustavson's image on the website. Photo: Metropolitan Police

Gustavson's image on the website. Photo: Metropolitan Police

One victim, Michael, was introduced to Gustavson in 2018 by a friend. At the time, Michael was struggling with severe drug addiction and depression.

During their first meeting, Michael was shocked to witness Gustavson intentionally damaging his own body by submerging it in a bucket of dry ice for 8 hours. Gustavson revealed his website to Michael and encouraged him to join. Initially resistant to the idea of castration, Michael's mind gradually became distorted. "On that website, they tell you how you can control your hormones, your sex drive. You’ll feel stronger, better. No one says anything negative about it," Michael recounted.

Gustavson presented Michael with a price list for videos: £5,000-£7,000 for testicle removal, and £15,000-£25,000 for genital removal. Tempted by the money, Michael agreed.

The following week, Michael traveled to London to meet Gustavson at his apartment. After restraining and drugging Michael, Gustavson retrieved his tools – a pair of clamps typically used on farm animals – while a camera remained focused on Michael. After an hour, both of Michael's testicles became necrotic due to lack of blood supply.

"I remember lying on the bed in excruciating pain as the video was uploaded. A little eunuch badge appeared on my profile," Michael said.

While Gustavson was the mastermind behind the website, he didn't always work alone. David Carruthers, a former National Health Service (NHS) employee, convinced Michael that he could safely remove the necrotic testicles, despite lacking any medical qualifications. Subsequently, Michael, Gustavson, and Carruthers rented an Airbnb apartment for the procedure.

Lying on the bed with the clamps dangling above him, Michael finally realized the horrific mistake he had made. "That’s when I realized how much damage Gustavson had caused me. I started to see him as just a butcher," Michael recalled. Before Michael could react, Gustavson packed up his equipment and left. Michael never received any of the promised payment.

Following advice from a counselor, Michael reported everything to the police. A police raid in 2021 uncovered hours of gruesome videos, the earliest dating back 7 years. Kitchen knives were among the tools used, and several sets of genitals were found stored in a freezer for sale.

Audio recordings played in court revealed instances where victims fell into critical condition, forcing Gustavson to call an ambulance and falsely claim the injuries were accidental.

Marius Gustavson (left) and Neil Hopper. Photo: Metropolitan Police/Instagram

Marius Gustavson (left) and Neil Hopper. Photo: Metropolitan Police/Instagram

The investigation revealed an unexpected link between Gustavson and Neil Hopper, once hailed as "Britain's bravest surgeon" after losing both legs to sepsis. Hopper had appeared on the program *This Morning* to discuss his battle with the illness. However, he was now accused of purchasing videos from Gustavson's website, self-inflicting injuries, and encouraging Gustavson to remove other people's body parts.

Gustavson earned over £300,000 from the website. He was charged with multiple offenses, including grievous bodily harm and possession of extreme pornography. Citing the horrific surgeries that nearly resulted in the deaths of three men, the judge described Gustavson's actions as akin to murder.

In 5/2024, Gustavson was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years. Nine other accomplices were also charged and convicted.

Tue Anh (adapted from *The Sun*)