Plastic surgeon impersonator jailed for extra month

A man convicted of impersonating US plastic surgeon Dr Stephen Hopping has been jailed for another month for illegal surgery.

DUBAI // The man convicted of impersonating respected Hollywood plastic surgeon Dr Stephen Hopping has been jailed for another month for performing illegal surgery on a Palestinian woman, bringing his total sentence to eight months. S M was charged last week with life endangerment, illegally practising medicine and impersonating another after operating on a 27-year-old Palestinian woman, H S. He pleaded guilty to illegally practising medicine and impersonating Dr Hopping but denied life endangerment. The 40-year-old told the court he had practised medicine in the United States for 14 years and in Dubai for at least a year. He said he was forced to conduct his illegal practice to support his family. The Palestinian woman told prosecutors she was referred to S M by a friend. She paid Dh1,000 for a facelift and two botox injections from S M. After the procedure, H S suffered facial inflammation in the area the botox was administered. According to prosecution records, she suffered acute psychological hysteria as a result. H S told prosecutors she contacted S M to report the problem, but he told her to calm down and said the inflammation was normal. [e-mail]