Man who kept his mother's body in freezer for nearly three years jailed

A man who kept his mother's body in a freezer for nearly three years while receiving more than £78,000 of her benefits has been jailed.

Christopher Phillips has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after preventing the lawful and decent burial of his mother Sylvia Phillips.

Following her death, for which the cause remains unknown, the defendant purchased a chest freezer and used this to store her body inside the living room of the property.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the body was covered with a leopard print throw and found alongside roses and a birthday card, reading "To mum, from Christopher and Tina", a reference to the family dog.

Phillips, 60, of Porthcawl, South Wales, pleaded guilty to three charges when he appeared before Cardiff Crown Court in April.

He admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of his 89-year-old mother in Porthcawl between 2 October 2022 and 2 February 2026.

Phillips also pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud, by failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions and Bridgend County Borough Council that his mother had died, over the same dates.

The charges state that he committed the fraud offences "intending to make a gain" for himself.

Phillips collected mother's prescriptions after her death

The court heard that Phillips had left work to become a full-time carer for his mother in the months leading up to her death on 8 March 2023.

He received a total of £78,190.92 in state pension, pension credit, attendance allowance, winter fuel payments, cost-of-living payments and housing benefit payments which would have ceased had the death been reported.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: "You continued to collect her prescriptions and misled medical professionals about her whereabouts, lying when enquiries were made about your mother, repeatedly telling medical staff that she did not wish to attend appointments or undergo tests.

"Your mother's pension and benefits continued to be paid into her bank accounts which you were able to access."

How body was discovered

The body of Ms Phillips was found by police officers in February 2026 after concerns for her welfare were raised by the medical practice she previously attended.

The judge added: "Although your mother suffered the indignity of being stored in a chest freezer for three years, there were no other indignities following her death.

"Your offending is aggravated by the length of time over which you concealed your mother's death and because you had the financial advantage of continuing to receive her pension and benefits."

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Ruth Smith, defending, said Phillips had been adopted by Ms Phillips at the age of two and was "exceptionally close" to her.

The pair were said to have lived together for 50 years of his life and Phillips had been the primary carer for his mother since 2008.

Ms Smith said her client had told police: "I basically didn't want to let her go."

"He described talking to her as if she was still alive. Sitting next to her, talking to her about television programmes, Coronation Street, the horse racing, just as they always did," she said.

"Mr Phillips was a vulnerable individual with a vulnerable mental health situation at the time of his mother's death," she added.

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