UK jails man for claiming late mum’s benefits while keeping her body in freezer

Christopher Phillips, 60, has been jailed in the UK for keeping his mother's body in a freezer for nearly three years while fraudulently claiming her welfare benefits. Sylvia Phillips, 89, died in March 2023, and her body remained undiscovered until Phillips' arrest in February of this year at their home in Porthcawl, south Wales. Phillips admitted to preventing a lawful burial and to fraud, having received approximately £78,000 in benefits and pension payments after his mother's death. The cause of his mother's death is currently unknown.

Christopher Phillips, 60, has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison for keeping his deceased mother's body in a freezer for nearly three years. He stored Sylvia Phillips' body in their Porthcawl home's living room freezer after her death in March 2023. During this time, Phillips continued to collect over £70,000 in his mother's benefits and other funds by accessing her bank accounts. He misled medical professionals about her whereabouts when welfare checks were conducted. Phillips pleaded guilty to preventing a lawful burial and fraud. The court heard he had been his mother's primary carer and lived with her for 50 years, stating he "didn't want to let her go."