A SON has pleaded guilty to keeping his dead mum’s body in a chest freezer at home for more than two years to pocket her pension.

Retired company secretary Sylvia Phillips, who was aged in her 80s, died at some point in 2023.

NINTCHDBPICT001073679884Christopher Phillips hid his mum’s body in a freezerCredit: WNS Street view of Poplar Crescent, Porthcawl, with multiple houses lining the street, a grassy area with a bench in the foreground, and cars parked along the street.Police discovered Sylvia at the home in PorthcawlCredit: WNS

Rather than give his mum a proper burial, Christopher Phillips, 60, put her in a chest freezer at home in Porthcawl, South .

He then accessed her bank account and made withdrawals from her savings and £1,000-a-month to fund his bachelor lifestyle.

But his sick scheme unravelled when were called by Sylvia’s doctor to carry out a welfare check.

They discovered the pensioner in the freezer and arrested former company director Phillips at the property.

He has now pleaded guilty to preventing a decent and lawful burial of his elderly mother.

Phillips also admitted two counts of fraud for accessing her accounts and pocketing her pension.

He was accused of preventing a burial between October 2nd 2022 and February 16 2026 – although the court later heard Syliva died in 2023.

The fraud charges state Phillips had failed to disclose to the department of work and and Bridgend Council that his mother had died.

Ruth Smith, defending, said: “There will be a basis of plea which specifies the date of the death of Mr Phillips’ mother which was in 2023.

“The defence do seek bank statements and information from the two agencies themselves. It is accepted that Mr Phillips did continue withdrawing the monies from his mother’s account and effectively lived on them.”

Phillips was remanded into custody ahead of sentence in June.

An inquest heard yesterday how Syliva’s cause of death remains unknown.

Coroner’s officer Joanne Webb said: “Police received a phone call from a GP practice requesting a welfare check on an elderly patient.

“During the search of the property they located the body of a female believed to be Sylvia Phillips in a chest freezer.”

The Pontypridd hearing was told that criminal investigations were “ongoing”.

South Wales Police vehicles and crime scene investigation vans parked on a residential street.Police had been called following a concern for welfare reportCredit: media Wales

Eze Chidiebere Paul

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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