A 60-year-old resident of Wales received more than two years in prison after admitting that he kept his deceased mother’s body in a freezer in the living room for nearly three years. During this time, he continued to receive her pension and social benefits.
Christopher Phillips, a resident of the Welsh town of Porthcawl, admitted that after the death of his 89-year-old mother in March 2023, he placed her body in a freezer located right in the living room of the house where they lived together, reports NOS.
On Tuesday, the court sentenced the 60-year-old man to two years and four months in prison.
The circumstances of the incident came to light in February of this year. The family doctor attempted to contact the elderly woman, but the son constantly obstructed this. Suspecting something was wrong, the doctor reported his concerns to the authorities.
When police arrived at the house, Phillips claimed that his mother was in London. However, law enforcement did not believe his words, entered the house, and discovered the woman’s body in the freezer.
According to the investigation, the body was wrapped in a leopard-patterned blanket, with pink roses placed on top. A birthday card signed by the son was also found in the freezer.
During the interrogation, Phillips explained his actions by saying that he did not want to part with his mother.
“I just didn’t want to let her go,” he told the police.
According to his lawyer, the man continued to behave as if his mother were alive: he sat next to the freezer, told her about TV shows, and discussed horse racing, just as they did during her lifetime.
The investigation established that he was able to conceal the woman’s death because they had led a reclusive lifestyle even before her passing and had little contact with others. All this time, Phillips received medications prescribed in his mother’s name and also illegally appropriated about 100,000 euros in pensions and social benefits.
The court found the man guilty, noting that, in addition to concealing his mother’s death, he had illegally benefited from government payments intended for the deceased woman for several years.
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