She hid her friend’s body for two years because she was “overwhelmed with grief” and worried about the consequences. A case that shocked Birmingham, United Kingdom; Damion Johnson, 53, was sentenced to two years in prison for hiding the lifeless body of retired former city councilman John Wainwright, 71. He cared.
The man admitted to police that he “put the body in the freezer because he felt unable to leave the old man or report his death.” A version that does not bar a conviction for obstructing Wainwright’s legitimate burial: Johnson would have had mental health problems, according to judges at Derby Crown Court. The 71-year-old was reported dead in September 2018, but his decomposing remains were only found in August 2020, when the freezer was taken to a recycling centre. The two had been friends for 27 years, and Johnson had moved into her elderly friend’s home since 2015 to help her.
Prosecutor Darron Whitehead commented on the 53-year-old’s reaction as follows: “There was a strong friendship between the two. The defendant was not thinking logically and was not ready to let Mr. Wainwright go. As time went on, he was unable to notify the prosecutor and authorities.” On September 25, 2018, Johnson ordered a large freezer online, then told relatives and friends that the 71-year-old had died and the funeral had already been held, but did not actually notify authorities of the death, thus obtaining a death certificate without any information.
In December 2019, Johnson was arrested for other reasons: Authorities had not searched his property, but the house had been sealed with the freezer inside disconnected. In the following weeks, numerous people went to the flat to conduct a security check, smelling a “terrible and unbearable” odor. On August 21, 2020, the shipping team took away the freezer and while noticing the smell, mistook it for rotten food. Then the horrific discovery of staff at Budget Skips Services in Exhall, Warwickshire, opening the freezer and finding the body.
The autopsy performed on the body showed signs of blunt force injuries, but according to the judges, it was not possible to clearly determine the cause of death. Johnson admitted preventing the burial of his friend and three other charges of fraud between September 1, 2018, and August 22, 2022: During the same period, the man continued to withdraw money from the victim’s account, totaling around £17,000. (almost 20 thousand euros).
Continue reading today…
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
