UK Man Hid Mother's Body In Freezer For Nearly 3 Years While Claiming Rs 99 Lakh In Benefits

Published 4 August 2026 · europe

News world UK Man Hid Mother's Body In Freezer For Nearly 3 Years While Claiming Rs 99 Lakh In Benefits UK Man Hid Mother's Body

News world UK Man Hid Mother's Body In Freezer For Nearly 3 Years While Claiming Rs 99 Lakh In Benefits UK Man Hid Mother's Body In Freezer For Nearly 3 Years While Claiming Rs 99 Lakh In Benefits Published By, Last Updated: August 04, 2026, 17:05 IST A UK court jailed a 60-year-old man who hid his mother's body for nearly three years and claimed around Rs 99 lakh in benefits. Rapid Read Doctors' Welfare Check Exposes UK Man Who Hid Mother's Body In Freezer For 3 Years (Representative Image) A court in the United Kingdom has sentenced a 60-year-old man to two years and four months in prison after he kept his mother’s body in a chest freezer for nearly three years while continuing to claim her pension and welfare benefits worth 78,190 pounds (around Rs 99 lakh).

According to The Metro, Christopher Phillips, from Porthcawl in South Wales, concealed the body of his mother, Sylvia Phillips, following her death in March 2023. Instead of reporting her death to authorities, he stored her body in a freezer inside the home they shared and continued receiving financial support that should have ended after her death. Body Discovered During Welfare Check The case remained undiscovered until February 2026, when doctors became concerned about Sylvia Phillips’ welfare and requested a police welfare check. When officers arrived at the property, Phillips initially claimed that his mother was staying with relatives in London. However, inconsistencies in his account prompted further questioning, leading police to search the house. Officers eventually discovered Sylvia Phillips’ body inside a chest freezer. Nearly Rs 1 Crore Claimed In Pension And Benefits The court heard that Phillips continued to access his mother’s bank accounts and fraudulently received more than 78,000 pounds (around Rs 99 lakh) in government payments after her death.

The amount included her state pension, attendance allowance, housing benefits, winter fuel payments and other welfare support that continued to be paid while her death remained unreported. Court Hears Defence During the sentencing hearing, Phillips’ lawyer said he had served as his mother’s full-time carer for many years and struggled to cope with her death. According to the defence, Phillips told investigators that he “didn’t want to let her go." His lawyer also cited mental health difficulties following his mother’s death. Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced him to two years and four months in prison after he pleaded guilty to preventing a lawful burial and to fraud offences linked to the benefits claims. Police described the case as deeply distressing and said their thoughts remained with Sylvia Phillips’ family members, who were finally able to lay her to rest after her body was discovered.