A NEWPORT woman was detained in a mental health hospital after admitting preventing the burial of a man found dead in his home.

Lisa Jane Collins, 35, of Devon Court, Caerleon, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court yesterday, having previously pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful and decent burial of Peter McDonald.

Prosecutor Meirion Davies said Mr McDonald was 65 at the time of his death and was described as “frail”.

The court heard a friend of Mr McDonald went to his house, 4 Bailey Street, as he had not visited his partner for some time, but she was “fobbed off” by Collins. She contacted police and officers went to the house at around 11.20am on March 18.

Mr Davies said Mr McDonald’s body was found in the bedroom. The court heard Mr McDonald was last seen about a week before his body was found and no cause of death could be established due to the state of the body.

Collins was arrested and a change of address form, a library card, a bus pass and an electoral registration form belonging to Mr McDonald and his partner were found in her possession.

Representing Collins, Stephen Thomas said psychiatric reports found she was suffering from schizophrenia and she had recently been transferred from prison, where she was being held on remand to the Caswell Clinic in Bridgend.

Judge Neil Bidder, QC, said: “What you did was not only illegal, it was repugnant to most right-thinking people.”

He ordered that Collins should be detained in the Caswell Clinic for treatment.

Collins’ co-defendant, Nicholas Anthony Caio Morgan, 40, of Penygraig Terrace, Pontypool, was sentenced to ten months in jail after pleading guilty to the offence at an earlier hearing.