A 60-year-old British man has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after keeping his elderly mother's body in a chest freezer for nearly three years while continuing to claim almost £78,000 in her pension and welfare benefits.
Christopher Phillips admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of his 89-year-old mother, Sylvia Phillips, who died in March 2023. Her body remained hidden inside a freezer at their home in Porthcawl, south Wales, until police discovered it during a welfare check in February 2026. He also pleaded guilty to fraud after receiving about £78,000 in benefits and pension payments following her death.
The grim discovery came after medical professionals raised concerns because Sylvia had not been seen since September 2022. When officers visited the property, Phillips claimed she was staying with relatives in London. A search of the house, however, uncovered a chest freezer containing her body, covered with flowers and placed beside a birthday card from her son and his dog.
Investigators later found that Phillips had bought the freezer just two days after his mother's death. Court proceedings revealed he eventually moved downstairs to sleep in the same room as the freezer and would sometimes open it to hold his mother's hand. He reportedly told a psychiatrist he "didn't want to let her go."
The court heard Sylvia's GP repeatedly tried to arrange appointments and home visits, but Phillips blocked access while continuing to collect her prescriptions. During the welfare check, officers became suspicious after noticing Phillips trembling and acting nervously. They later heard him telling his girlfriend over the phone: "The police are going to arrest me."
A post-mortem examination could not determine Sylvia Phillips' exact cause of death because of the condition of her remains, although investigators said there were no suspicious circumstances.
Sentencing Phillips, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said the elderly woman had "suffered the indignity of being stored in a chest freezer for three years" while her son collected money intended for her. South Wales Police described it as an "extremely sad case" in which Phillips concealed his mother's death for years and financially profited from it.
