Haringey man one of seven jailed over 'extreme body modifications' network

Marius Theodore Gustavson was the ringleader of a group that performed ‘backstreet surgery’ and led to gruesome injuries being inflicted

Seven members of a criminal network which conducted extreme body modifications and illegal surgeries have been jailed after Metropolitan Police detectives uncovered their horrendous crimes.

Specialist Met officers leading a unique investigation into the extreme body modification of men have seen seven men jailed today, (Thursday 9th) for a total of 79 years after a hearing at the Old Bailey.

Met detectives launched an investigation into the illegal surgical procedures after a victim was first identified by Devon and Cornwall Police in November 2020 after it was established the offending had taken place in North London.

Marius Theodore Gustavson, aged 46 and of Haringey, was identified by detectives as being the primary offender following a lengthy and complex investigation. Alongside the six other men, he was jailed for life today with a minimum tariff of 22 years for conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm; five counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent; one count of making an indecent photograph of a child; one count of distributing an indecent photograph of a child; possession of extreme pornographic images; distributing indecent pseudo images of children.

The court heard how Gustavson used the internet to seek out and manipulate vulnerable people, coercing them to take part in the procedures.

Detective Inspector Amanda Greig, from the Met’s specialist crime command, said: “I would like to highlight the excellent work of the Met’s investigation team, who have examined thousands of hours of horrific material seized from the suspects. Their diligence and professionalism have ensured no one else will suffer at the hands of these men.

“This lengthy and complex investigation demonstrates that we are determined to protect Londoners from harm and bring those that threaten the safety of our communities to justice.”

Following the court hearing today, DI Amanda Greig also thanked the victims for their bravery throughout the investigation. She acknowledged their immense suffering – with many victims having profound mental health issues as a result of the group’s brutal actions. The victims were supported by specialist officers and signposted to support services by the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity GALOP.

Detectives worked closely with partners from a number of UK police forces, NHS, London Ambulance Service, the General Medical Council and the Midwifery Council to help identify and support victims.

They discovered that Gustavson owned and managed the website Eunuchmaker.com where he advertised extreme body modification services, including castration and penis removal. He also owned a production company, where he would record all the illegal mutilations and upload them to his site, which captured an international audience.

Officers interviewed and obtained statements from victim-survivors, who had been assaulted between February 2017 and January 2020.

In at least three cases, the injuries inflicted on the victims were life threatening, with one victim coming close to losing his life due to blood loss.

Officers sought the expertise of consultant urological surgeon, Chris Dawson, who said: “The procedures performed in these cases have highlighted the dangers involved in ‘back street surgery’.

“To become a highly qualified surgeon takes a number of years, and these procedures should not be carried out by anyone without the necessary experience or expertise as it risks serious complications such as significant bleeding, or sepsis. When performed in hospital, these procedures are performed under general anaesthesia in a sterile environment, with the surgeon wearing sterile gown and gloves.

“Penis removal is a complex procedure which is performed only by surgeons who have specialised in that area. Great care is needed to perform the technique in order to achieve a good cosmetic result, and to form an opening for the urethra in order to allow the man to pass urine without difficulty. If performed by an inexperienced person there would be a high likelihood of needing corrective surgery afterwards.

“The consent process is a very important part of any surgical procedure, and surgeons are held to very high standards about this. It is imperative that patients are aware of the potential complications of any surgical procedure.”

A search of Gustavson’s address found various items, including boxes of medical needles and syringes, local anaesthetic packs, surgical tools, a wooden chopping board and a mallet, a body board with leg and arm restraints attached, disposable skin staplers, and numerous medical procedure videos linked to Gustavson’s digital devices.

As Gustavson’s pattern of offending began to unravel, detectives were able to piece together that he was not working alone.

Following an interrogation of more than 120 digital devices the remaining offenders were identified by video footage, as well as phone communication with Gustavson. Ashley Williams, David Carruthers, Peter Wates, Janus Atkins, and Ion Circuir were arrested at addresses in London, Scotland, Birmingham and South Wales. Stefan Scharf, a German national, was arrested whilst in transit at Heathrow Airport.

The majority of the offences occurred at Gustavson’s former home address, as well as a rented hotel room in London.

Those also sentenced were:

Ashley Williams, 32 (7.9.91) of Newport, Gwent, a Home Office employee, was jailed for four years and six months for causing GBH with intent;
Peter Wates, 67 (19.4.57) of Purley, Surrey, a retired Chemist, was jailed for 12 years for conspiring to commit GBH;
David Carruthers, 61 (9.11.62) of Newport, Gwent, a Home office Employee, was jailed for 11 years for conspiring to commit GBH;
Janus Atkin, 39 (30.3.85) of Newport, Gwent, Unemployed, was jailed for 12 years for conspiring to commit GBH;
Ion Ciucur, 30 (3.4.94) of Gretna, Scotland, a Hotel worker, was jailed for five years and eight months for conspiring to commit GBH;
Stefan Scharf, 61 (15.07.62) a retired German National was jailed for four years and six months for GBH with intent.

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