A son has admitted keeping his dead mother's body in a freezer for more than two years so he could pocket her pension in order to continue funding his bachelor lifestyle, a court has heard. 

Christopher Phillips' mother Sylvia - who was in her 80s - died at some point in 2023 at their home in the Welsh seaside town of Porthcawl.  

However instead of reporting the death, Phillips stored her body in a chest freezer and accessed the retired company secretary's bank account so he could take money from her account and dip into her savings.

The 60-year-old was also in receipt of her £1,000 a month benefits which he pocketed in order to fund his bachelor lifestyle.  

Sylvia's frozen remains were only discovered in February this year when South Wales Police were called to carry out a 'welfare check' after doctors raised concerns they had not heard from Mrs Phillips.

Officers found her body in the chest freezer and Phillips was arrested.

Phillips appeared at Cardiff Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to preventing a decent and lawful burial of his elderly mother.

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

On top of this, Phillips was accused of preventing a burial between October 2nd 2022 and February 16 2026 - although the court later heard Mrs Phillips died in 2023.

The fraud charges said Phillips had failed to disclose to the department of work and pensions 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.'

He was remanded in custody ahead of sentence in June.

An inquest opening held on Wednesday was told it was unclear how Mrs Phillips died.

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'.

She was born in Gloucester in March 1936 but it is not known exactly when she died.

Ms Webb said: 'A post mortem examination was carried out by Dr Stephen Leadbeatter at the University Hospital of Wales on 2nd March.

'The pathologist has provided a provisional cause of death as 1a) awaiting further investigations.'

Coroner Graeme Hughes adjourned the hearing for a date to be fixed.

At the time of the investigation a force spokesperson for South Wales Police said: 'South Wales Police attended an address on Poplar Crescent, Porthcawl at 1.45pm on Tuesday, February 17, after a call concerning the welfare of a woman.

'A woman in her 80s from Porthcawl was found dead within the property.

'Investigations into the death are on-going.'