The ringleader of an extreme body modification website who had his penis and leg removed and assisted others in cutting off body parts was jailed for life in the UK today, May 9.
Marius Gustavson, 46, must serve a minimum term of 22 years, a judge ruled today at the Old Bailey.
The Norweigan national led an extreme body modifications ring and made £300,000 from his Eunuch Maker website.
The Old Bailey heard how he ran a “lucrative business” distributing “dangerous, unnecessary and life-changing surgeries”.
The people carrying out these surgeries would have no medical qualifications.
Among the services offered were male castration, penis removal and freezing of limbs, as part of his “eunuchmaker.com”.
Before it was brought down, the site had over 22,000 users who paid £ 100 a year to watch videos of the brutal procedures.
Gustavson had frozen his own leg meaning it had to be amputated. He used a wheelchair and claimed £18,500 in disability benefits from it. He also had the tip of his nipple cut off and had removed his own penis.
The court heard how the “master manipulator” had recruited like-minded individuals to help him.
He appeared in court for sentencing by video link from HMP Wandsworth, with the judge saying his practice was “at least disgusting and abhorrent”.
The chamber heard that at his home body parts including testicles were found in old food containers in his freezer.
His own penis was found in a draw in his home some four years after it was amputated.
The judge noted the procedures were “grave and life-threatening matters” with “permanent and irreversible” results.
“Many of them may require extensive medical and other assistance for the rest of their lives,” the judge said.
Looking at images of body parts on his freezer, the judge told Gustavson: “No doubt what you would regard as the trophies of your acts of carrying out extreme body modifications.
“You are very much the mastermind behind this grizzly and gruesome enterprise.
“The motivations of all were a mix of sexual gratification as well as financial reward.”
Prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC said he sold body parts, while there “was clear evidence of cannibalism” and added that “he cooked some testicles for lunch”.
She added: “The images, from raw ingredients to an artfully arranged salad platter, were discovered by officers”.
Gustavson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH) between 2016 and 2022.
He also admitted five more counts of causing GBH with intent, making an indecent image of a child, possessing criminal property, possessing extreme pornographic images and three counts of distributing indecent pseudo-photographs of a child.
Some of the victims, who were promised money from the video sales, reacquired emergency medical treatment afterwards.
Rashvinderjeet Panesar, defending Gustavson, said he had a “desire to be the architect of his own body” and added: “feelings of empowerment and greater acceptance of himself”.
David Carruthers, 61, Janus Atkin, 39, Peter Wates, 67 and Ion Ciucur, 30, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit GBH between 2016 and 2022.
They were jailed for 11 years, 12 years, 12 years, and five years and eight months respectively.
Ashley Williams, 32, and Stefan Scharf, 61, also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and were each jailed for four and a half years, due to serve two-thirds before being removed on licence.
Jacob Crimi-Appleby, 23, Damien Byrnes, 36, and Nathaniel Arnold, 48, have all pleaded guilty to GBH and received sentences already of three years and eight months, five years, and two years suspended respectively.
Damien Byrnes
Jacob Crimi-Appleby
