A Welsh man who stored his deceased mother in a chest freezer for almost three years while collecting £78,000 of her benefits has been sentenced to prison. Christopher Phillips, 60, of Porthcawl, Wales, admitted preventing a lawful burial and two counts of fraud for failing to report the death of his mother, Silvia Phillips, 89, to authorities.
Discovery and sentencing
At Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on August 3, 2026, Judge Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Phillips to two years and four months behind bars. The court heard that Phillips had been his mother's full-time carer before her death on March 8, 2023. After her death, the cause of which remains unknown, he purchased a chest freezer and kept her body in the living room of their shared home.
Police only discovered the body after concerns were raised by the medical practice she attended. Officers found the corpse wrapped in a leopard print throw, accompanied by roses and a birthday card that read 'To Mum, from Christopher and Tina' – a reference to the family dog.
Deception and fraud details
Judge Lloyd-Clarke told the court: '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.'
Phillips had previously pleaded guilty to all charges. The fraud involved failing to inform the Department for Work and Pensions and Bridgend County Borough Council of his mother's death.
Defence and background
Defence lawyer Ruth Smith explained that Phillips had lived with his adoptive mother for 50 years and had been her primary carer since 2008. She said Phillips told police: 'I basically didn't want to let her go.' Smith added: '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. Mr Phillips was a vulnerable individual with a vulnerable mental health situation at the time of his mother's death.'
The judge acknowledged the relationship, noting: '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.'
