Son 'kept his dead mother in a freezer so he could keep collecting her pension for more than six months'

A middle-aged man kept his dead mother's body in a freezer for over six months so he could continue to collect her pension, a court has heard.

Philipe Brough, 54, is accused of preventing the lawful and decent burial of pensioner Louise Brough whose frozen body was discovered by police at her flat in Portsmouth.

Brough, who was his 90-year-old mother’s carer, is alleged to have committed the offences over six months before officers made the gruesome find.

He has also been charged with failing to tell the Department of Work & Pensions that his mother had died in a bid to keep receiving her benefits.

Detectives initially arrested Brough as a murder suspect and quizzed him on fraud in connection with the death of his mother in August.

But a post-mortem examination later revealed the elderly woman, from Portsmouth, Hants, had died of natural causes.

Her son was rearrested on suspicion of obtaining money by deception while being questioned by police two days after police discovered her body.

Brough was then released on bail, and later charged with preventing the lawful and decent burial of his mother’s body.

Both charges run between February 28 and August 13, Portsmouth Magistrates Court heard.

The fraud charge relates to an alleged failure to inform the Department of Work & Pensions that his mother had died, contrary to the Fraud Act 2006.

Brough is accused of dishonestly failing to disclose the information in a bid to receive benefits that were paid to his mother and to him as her carer.

Brough, who spoke only to confirm details of his name, date-of-birth and address, stood alone in the dock during the five-minute hearing.

He wore a dark blue suit, a white shirt and tie and a black waist-length jacket.

Magistrates adjourned the case and released Brough on unconditional bail to appear at Portsmouth Crown Court.

A date for the plea and case management hearing has yet to be set.

The maximum penalty for committing the offence under Common Law in England and Wales is an unlimited sentence in prison.