UK jails man for claiming late mum’s benefits while keeping her body in freezer
A British man who kept his mother’s body in a freezer for nearly three years while he received almost £80,000 (US$108,000) of her welfare benefits was jailed on Monday. Christopher Phillips, 60, had admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of his 89-year-old mother Sylvia Phillips after she died in March 2023 until his arrest at their home in Porthcawl, south Wales, in February this year.…
Christopher Phillips, a 60-year-old British man, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for his actions following his mother Sylvia Phillips' death in March 2023. Phillips had kept his mother's body frozen in a freezer for nearly three years, during which time he received about £78,000 (US$108,000) of her welfare benefits and pension payments.
The body was discovered at their home in Porthcawl, south Wales, in February 2024 after concerns were raised by medical professionals who had not seen Sylvia Phillips since September 2022. Phillips had claimed that his mother was alive and in London with relatives, and officers found the frozen body with flowers and a birthday card from her son.
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke expressed her shock at the case, stating that Sylvia Phillips had "suffered the indignity of being stored in a chest freezer for three years" while her son collected money intended for her. Detective Chief Inspector Claire Lamerton from South Wales Police described the situation as "extremely sad."
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