Lead

A 60-year-old man has been jailed for keeping his dead mother's body in a freezer at their shared home for nearly three years, during which time he collected her benefits and other funds, a court in south Wales heard.

Christopher Phillips, from Porthcawl, was sentenced to two years and four months' imprisonment on Monday. He had pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful and decent burial of his mother, Sylvia Phillips, who was 89 when she died, as well as to fraud charges.

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian reported that Phillips received more than £70,000 of his mother's benefits and other funds during the period, while the South China Morning Post said he received almost £80,000 in welfare benefits and pension payments, equivalent to about US$108,000. Both outlets agree that Phillips kept the body in a chest freezer in the living room of their home and that he pleaded guilty to related charges.

The Guardian's report includes details from the sentencing hearing, including comments from the judge and the defence, while the South China Morning Post provided a more concise summary and noted that the cause of death has not yet been established.

Key Claims

  • Phillips, 60, stored the body of his mother, Sylvia Phillips, in a chest freezer in the living room of their home in Porthcawl, a seaside town in south Wales.
  • He received over £70,000 of her benefits and other funds during the nearly three-year period, according to The Guardian, or almost £80,000 according to the South China Morning Post.
  • The body was discovered by police in February this year after officers attended the address following concerns raised because medical professionals had not seen his mother since September 2022, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
  • The Guardian reported that Phillips had placed flowers on top of the freezer, which he bought two days after her death, and continued to talk to her about soap operas and horse racing. He told police she was away in London, but they found her body after spotting the flowers.
  • Phillips accessed his mother's bank account, made withdrawals from her savings, and pocketed benefits, The Guardian reported, citing Merthyr crown court proceedings.
  • He pleaded guilty to preventing a lawful and decent burial and to two counts of fraud, according to The Guardian, which also reported that the sentence was handed down by Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the recorder of Cardiff.
  • The cause of his mother's death is not yet known, according to the South China Morning Post, citing police.

Perspectives

Court

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, as quoted by The Guardian, told Phillips: "You continued to collect her prescriptions and misled medical professionals about her whereabouts, lying when inquiries 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."

Defence

Ruth Smith, defending, said Phillips had been "exceptionally close" to his mother, as reported by The Guardian. Smith said the pair had lived together for 50 years and that Phillips had been the primary carer for his mother since 2008. She said Phillips told police: "I basically didn't want to let her go," and described how he talked to her as if she were still alive, sitting next to her and discussing television programmes like Coronation Street and horse racing. Smith added that Phillips was "a vulnerable individual with a vulnerable mental health situation at the time of his mother's death."