UK Man Kept Dead Mother In Freezer For 3 Years, Claimed Nearly Rs 1 Crore In Benefits

A court in the UK has sentenced a 60-year-old man to more than two years in prison after he kept his mother's body in a chest freezer for nearly three years while continuing to collect her pension and benefits. According to The Metro, Christopher Phillips from Porthcawl in South Wales concealed the body of his mother, Sylvia Phillips, after her death in March 2023. During that period, he continued receiving her state pension and welfare payments worth 78,190 Pounds (around Rs 1 Crore).

The Metro reported that Phillips stored the body in a freezer inside the home they shared and failed to inform authorities about her death. Court documents showed that he also continued to access her bank accounts and receive financial payments that should have stopped after her death.

The case came to light in February 2026 after doctors became concerned about Sylvia Phillips' welfare and requested a police check. Officers visited the property and eventually discovered her body in the freezer.

According to The Metro, Phillips initially told police that his mother was staying with relatives in London. However, further questioning raised suspicions and officers later found the body inside the house.

During the hearing, the court was told that Phillips had been his mother's full-time carer for many years. His lawyer said he struggled to cope with her death and told investigators that he "didn't want to let her go". The defence also cited mental health difficulties following her death.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Phillips to two years and four months in prison. The court heard that he had fraudulently received more than 78,000 Pounds (around Rs 99 lakh) through pension payments, attendance allowance, housing benefits, winter fuel payments and other government support that continued after his mother's death.

Phillips pleaded guilty to preventing a lawful burial and to fraud offences linked to the benefits claims. Police said the case was deeply distressing and expressed sympathy for Sylvia Phillips' family members, who were finally able to lay her to rest after the discovery.