Man, 60, who kept his mum’s body in living room freezer for three years while pocketing £78k in benefits is jailed

A MAN who stashed his mum’s body in her freezer and left her there for years as he plundered her pension and benefits has been jailed. Christopher Phillips admitted putting his mum’s body in a chest freezer at their home after she died in 2023. Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Phillips to two years and four months’ imprisonment Police discovered Sylvia at the home in Porthcawl Credit: WNS He plundered the savings of retired company secretary Sylvia, 89, to fund his bachelor lifestyle in the seaside town of Porthcawl in Wales. Former company director Phillips also failed to disclose to the department of work and pensions and Bridgend Council that his mum has died. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! He continued to keep his mother’s body in the freezer for three years while receiving more than £78,000 in her benefits. At Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court today, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Phillips to two years and four months’ imprisonment. Phillips told doctors he “did not want to let her go” and “wanted more time” after her death on March 8, 2023. Phillips, 60, had earlier admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body and two counts of fraud. He failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions and Bridgend County Borough Council that his mother had died. The court heard Phillips left work to become a full-time carer for his mother in the months leading up to her death. Most read in The Sun Following her death, for which the cause remains unknown, the defendant purchased a chest freezer. He then used this to store her body inside the living-room of their Porthcawl home. Sylvia’s body was found by cops in February 2026 after a concern for welfare call from her GP. The court heard the body was covered with a leopard print throw and found alongside roses. It was also chillingly found alongside a birthday card, reading “To Mum, from Christopher and Tina”, a reference to the family dog. Phillips received a total of £78,190.92 in benefits following his mother’s death. The fiend “intending to make a gain” by keeping news of his mother’s death hidden, the court heard. Representing Phillips, Ruth Smith told a previous hearing he had “lived on” money plundered from his mother’s account. She said: “It is accepted that Mr Phillips did continue withdrawing the money from his mother’s account and effectively lived on that, which is supported by the analysis of his bank accounts.” Phillips held his dead mother in his arms and told her he would look after her, the court was told. Two days after her death, he then purchased the chest freezer from AO and put it in their semi-detached home. Phillips constantly denied requests from her local GP surgery to contact Sylvia, the court heard.