So over a series of days he constructed a guillotine in his shed, making sure his wife and child had no idea what was going on. He picked his moment and at around 1:30 pm on the 17th of March he lopped off the offending appendage. He knew that he’d be found fairly soon after the act and that with modern surgery they may have been able to sew his hand back on. So in a bold move he threw the hand straight onto a pre-prepared fire to ensure it couldn’t be reused.

The police rushed to the scene, because a man cutting off his own limbs is not what you want in a built up area on a Monday afternoon. They arrived after half an hour, kicked over the burning bin and reclaimed the hand but it was beyond use by then. According to the police, when they arrived he was bleeding pretty badly (obviously) but was “otherwise rational”.

So this hasn’t solved his problem, he still has pain, but he hopes now that the medics will take his plight seriously. Goddard said “It would have spared so much distress all round but it was the only way. At least if I do have the treatment I need it will give me and my family our lives back”. He still needs medical help and has set the NHS an ultimatum:  “I’ve told them that if nothing is done, I will take the arm off above the elbow myself. I’ve given them until the end of December”.

His family have now dismantled the medieval looking mutilation device and banned him from going into his shed unattended. The way he describes the day’s events is chillingly matter of fact…

☛ Now: Medieval Torture & Slaughter: The ‘How To’ Guide