Man Jailed for Hiding Mother's Body in Freezer for Three Years, Collecting Benefits

A man has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison for an extraordinary act of deception: keeping his deceased mother's body in a chest freezer for nearly three years. Christopher Phillips, 60, was arrested in February after police found the remains of his 89-year-old mother, Sylvia Phillips, at their home in Bridgend, Wales.

Sylvia Phillips died on March 8, 2023, but her death was not reported. The court heard that Phillips, who had been adopted by Sylvia and was her sole carer since 2008, stated he "did not want to let her go" and "wanted more time" after her passing. Two days after her death, he purchased a chest freezer and placed it in the dining room, where her body remained until discovered by officers conducting a welfare check.

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did not want to let her go

The discovery was made after Sylvia's GP practice repeatedly tried to contact her without success. When officers visited the home, Phillips initially claimed his mother had moved to London. However, his nervous demeanor raised suspicions. Officers eventually found Sylvia's body, wrapped in a silk blanket with roses, inside the freezer. Due to the extended period of freezing, a post-mortem examination could not determine the cause of death, though no suspicious circumstances were suspected.

During the time her body was concealed, Phillips continued to collect substantial state benefits, including pension credit, attendance allowance, and cost-of-living payments, totaling over £78,000. These payments would have ceased had her death been officially reported. Phillips had resigned from his job in late 2022, apparently to care for his mother.

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wanted more time