Man who kept flatmate's body in freezer for almost two years admits to using his bank cards before body was found
17 August 2023, 17:23 | Updated: 18 August 2023, 01:45
A man who kept his flatmate’s body in a freezer for nearly two years has admitted to using his bank cards.
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Damion Johnson, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud on Thursday at Derby Crown Court.
He previously denied three counts of fraud but has now changed his plea, as on Thursday he admitted to using Mr Wainwright’s money.
It comes after he admitted in May to keeping his flatmate John Wainwright’s, 71, body in a freezer for almost two years.
The change in plea relates to Johnson using his flatmate’s bank card to withdraw money from cash machines, pay for goods and transfer money to his own account between September 2018 and May 2020.
It is believed the offences occurred when Mr Wainwright and Johnson were living in a flat in Birmingham city centre.
Mr Wainwright died in 2018 but his body was not discovered until 2020.
It is understood his cause of death is not yet known.
In May Johnson admitted one count of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body between September 1 2018 and August 22 2020.
A trial date of November 7 was set in the May hearing, but this has now been cancelled because of Johnson’s change of plea.
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Judge Shaun Smith KC adjourned the sentencing until October 27 and remanded Johnson into custody until then at his request.
Raglan Ashton, representing Johnson, told the court that his client wished to be remanded in custody until sentencing.
He said: “Clearly he is in a pretty desperate state presently.
“His instructions to me are that he does not wish to be sentenced today, he wishes to be remanded.”
Judge Shaun Smith said: “You have now pleaded guilty to everything so we don’t need to have the trial in November.
“A couple of weeks before you were due to have your trial, I am going to sentence you.
“These are serious offences. I am going to remand you in custody at your request.”
