Man jailed for keeping mother's body in freezer and claiming benefits
Christopher Phillips was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for keeping his mother's body in a freezer for nearly three years and fraudulently claiming her benefits.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A man from Porthcawl, South Wales, has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after keeping his mother's body in a chest freezer for nearly three years while continuing to claim her benefits. Christopher Phillips, 60, was the full-time carer for his mother, Sylvia Phillips, who died in March 2023 at the age of 89. Instead of reporting her death, he stored her body in a freezer in the living room and continued to collect her pension and other benefits, totalling approximately £78,000.
Police became suspicious after medical staff grew concerned that Sylvia Phillips was not attending appointments. When officers searched the property in February, they found her body wrapped in bedding inside a large chest freezer, along with a bunch of roses and a birthday card addressed to 'Mum' from Phillips and his dog. The court heard that Phillips had placed the freezer in the living room so he could hold his mother's hand while watching television, including Coronation Street.
Phillips admitted to preventing the lawful and decent burial of his mother and to fraud. During sentencing, the judge noted that he had been diagnosed with prolonged grief disorder, a recognised mental condition that developed after his mother's death. The psychiatrist's report described persistent longing for his mother, difficulty accepting her death, social withdrawal, and an inability to move forward with ordinary life. The judge described the harm caused as being at the lower end, but added that Sylvia Phillips had suffered the indignity of being stored in a chest freezer.
Phillips cried in court as the judge outlined the diagnosis. When arrested, he told police he did not want to let her go and wanted to spend more time with her. The court heard that he had a very close relationship with his mother and a very small social network. The sentence of two years and four months covers both the fraud and the offence of preventing a lawful burial.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| He fraudulently claimed benefits totaling around £78,000. | ||
| He was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for failing to lawfully and decently bury her body. | ||
| Christopher Phillips kept his mother's body in a chest freezer for nearly three years. | · | |
| Phillips continued to get his mother's prescriptions and lied to doctors who tried to contact her. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
5 News focused on the emotional and psychological aspects of the case, emphasising the close relationship between Phillips and his mother and the diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder. The report highlighted the judge's remarks about the mental disorder and the tragic nature of the situation, with the reporter describing it as 'pretty horrible' and 'a particularly tragic case'.
- “Well, it seems he just couldn't let go and he missed his mother.”
- “The psychiatrist concludes that at the time of the offending, he was suffering from a recognised mental disorder, namely prolonged grief disorder, which developed following your mother's death.”
- “The judge today described the harm caused as being at the lower end, although your mother suffered the indignity of being stored in a chest freezer.”
ITV News at Ten focused on the indignity of the act and the fraud, with a strong emphasis on the judge's description of the mother's suffering. The report included the striking detail about Phillips holding his mother's hand while watching Coronation Street, and framed the case as a man 'making a living from concealing his mother's death'.
- “The judge said Sylvia Phillips, who was 89, suffered the indignity of being stored in a chest freezer in her living room for three years.”
- “He put the freezer in the living room so he could hold her hand while watching Coronation Street.”
- “He made a living from concealing his mother's death.”
Broadcast Timeline
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