A man has been sentenced to prison for keeping his friend’s body in a freezer for two years, claiming he was overwhelmed with sadness after his friend’s passing.
Damion Johnson received a two-year prison sentence for confessing to obstructing the proper and respectful burial of John Wainwright’s body and committing three counts of fraud.
Derby crown court heard on Tuesday that Wainwright, 71, died in September 2018 and was not found until August 2020 in the freezer on the premises of a skip company.
Prosecutor Darron Whitehead said Johnson, 53, had known Wainwright for 27 years and moved in with him into a flat in Holloway Head, Birmingham, in 2015 as his carer.
A friend described the duo as having a close bond, and Johnson saw Wainwright as a paternal figure. Johnson explained to the police that he was overwhelmed with sorrow after Wainwright’s passing.
According to Whitehead, the accused claims he was not in a rational state of mind and was not willing to release Mr. Wainwright. As time went on, he was unable to notify the authorities.
On September 25, 2018, Johnson purchased a chest freezer with dimensions of 2 feet by 3 feet for a total of £462.
Johnson informed loved ones that Wainwright had passed away and the funeral had occurred, but did not notify the authorities or acquire a death certificate.
During one point, a friend of Wainwright stayed in the apartment while the elderly person’s body was kept in the freezer in the adjacent room.
The accused was taken into custody in December 2019 for separate issues. Although the authorities did not conduct a search of the premises, Johnson was prohibited from reentering. On December 6th, the apartment was sealed and the freezer was found unplugged.
Afterwards, several individuals came to the apartment to perform safety inspections and observed a potent odor that was described as “terrible” and “intolerable”.
On August 21st, 2020, a team responsible for removing items took the freezer, and upon smelling an unpleasant odor, mistakenly believed it to be spoiled food. However, it was later discovered that this was the body of Wainwright by employees at Budget Skips Services in Exhall, Warwickshire.
A report after death observed indications of physical injury, however Whitehead stated: “It was impossible to definitively determine if a natural ailment played a role in the death.”
Whitehead stated that between September 2018 and May 2020, Johnson unlawfully utilized Wainwright’s bank card to make purchases and take out money amounting to £17,000. Additionally, Johnson made 11 transfers totaling £2,475 to his own bank account.
In May of this year, Johnson initially confessed to obstructing a burial, but rejected any involvement in fraud. However, in August, he changed his plea and admitted to committing fraud.
The defendant’s lawyer, Raglan Ashton, stated that Johnson had held positions as a carer and healthcare assistant at the Royal Derby Hospital. He also mentioned that there was an understanding between Johnson and Wainwright that in the event of one’s death, the other would still have access to the money in their joint account.
Judge Shaun Smith KC stated that imprisoning Johnson from Derby was an atypical crime, but clarified that he was not insinuating any connection to Wainwright’s passing.
Johnson received a two-year prison sentence for obstructing a burial, as well as six-month sentences for each of the three fraud charges, to be served concurrently.
Source: theguardian.com
