Several men accused of mutilating others and posting videos of their victims being castrated online appeared in a London court today as part of a preliminary investigation into the case.

Among the defendants is Marius Gustafsson, 45, who is considered the “brain” of the network.

The perpetrators made “extreme physical modifications” to 13 people, including Gustafsson himself.

They were removing and trading body parts and posting videos of their genitalia online.

Gustafsson, who is originally from Norway but lives in north London, has pleaded not guilty.

He denies causing grievous bodily harm to three men between 2018-19.

A total of nine people have been arrested, in London, Scotland and south Wales.

From their victims, who for legal reasons cannot be named, they mainly removed the genitals.

Another defendant, Jacob Crimmy-Apleby, 22, pleaded guilty, admitting he froze Gustafsson’s leg, causing it to be amputated.

Last month, two other men admitted to removing Gustafsson’s genitals and nipples. His main accomplice, Peter Waits, 66, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.

British police believe Gustafsson was the leader of this group that filmed the mutilations and posted the footage on a website. Subscribers paid to see them.

The case is expected to go to trial in March 2024