A man who concealed his deceased mother’s body in a freezer while fraudulently claiming her benefits has been sentenced to jail. Christopher Phillips, aged 60, admitted to keeping his mother Sylvia Phillips’ body in a freezer at his residence in Porthcawl, Wales for almost three years, during which he collected over £78,000 in benefits. He also confessed to defrauding authorities by not reporting his mother’s death to the Department for Work and Pensions and Bridgend County Borough Council. Phillips was apprehended after his mother’s body was found in the freezer on February 17.
At Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Phillips to two years and four months behind bars. Phillips had quit his job to care for his mother full-time before her passing on March 8, 2023. Following her death, he bought a chest freezer to store her body in the living room.
The body, covered with a leopard print throw, was discovered with roses and a birthday card addressed to “Mum, from Christopher and Tina,” referring to the family dog. Phillips illicitly obtained £78,190.92 in benefits post his mother’s demise. Police were alerted about his mother’s well-being, leading to the revelation of the body at his residence on Poplar Crescent.
During an inquest at Pontypridd Coroners’ Court, it was disclosed that the cause of Mrs. Phillips’ death is still undetermined. A post mortem conducted at the University Hospital of Wales did not provide a provisional cause of death, necessitating further investigation.
Following the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Claire Lamerton of South Wales Police expressed sadness over the case, emphasizing the need for closure for Sylvia’s family.
