A man has admitted keeping a pensioner’s body in a freezer for nearly two years.

Damion Johnson pleaded guilty at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday to keeping John Wainwright’s body in the freezer of a property in Birmingham.

The 71-year-old died in September 2018 and was discovered in August 2020.

The offence is believed to have taken place when the pair lived in a flat in Cleveland Tower, in Birmingham city centre.

Mr Wainwright’s cause of death is yet to be established.

Johnson, who lives in Derby, admitted one count of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body between 1 September 2018 and 22 August 2020.

The 52-year-old denied three counts of fraud by false representation concerning using Mr Wainwright’s bank card to withdraw money from cash machines, pay for goods and transfer money to his own account between 23 September 2018 and 7 May 2020.

Judge Shaun Smith KC told Johnson he will face trial on 7 November.

Johnson remains on bail.