Steven Wales, 61, admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of Paul ‘Smigger’ Smith
Steven Wales (Image: Merseyside Police/Liverpool Echo)
A man told a judge “have a good day” after pleading guilty to preventing the lawful burial of a dad whose body was found in a wheelie bin. Steven Wales, 61, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, Friday, accused of preventing the lawful and decent burial of Paul Smith, whose body was found inside the bin two days after he is believed to have overdosed in a bath.
Dad-of-five Smith, who set fire to a house killing an elderly couple as part of a revenge attack in St Helens, was said to have spent July 20 last year at a house on Coniston Street in Everton taking a range of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and several sedatives. An inquest last month heard 40-year-old Smith is then believed to have overdosed in the bath, with water being found in his lungs.
The coroner proceedings heard his death was not reported to the authorities until July 22, when Wales, of Pope Street in Bootle, phoned the police and said Smith “had died in the bath”. When officers arrived they found Smith dead inside the bin at the back of some derelict properties.
Sitting to the side of the crown court, Wales, sporting cropped dark hair and wearing a black top, said today: “I understand, guilty please,” when the charge was put to him.
Paul “Smigger” Smith was found dead a week after he was believed to have carried out a fatal arson attack(Image: Merseyside Police)
Judge Brian Cummings KC, presiding, confirmed Wales would be sentenced on Tuesday, August 18 because a victim impact statement was not yet available to the court. Christopher Hopkins, prosecuting, had earlier confirmed that “a number of [Smith’s] family members wished to contribute”.
Judge Cummings confirmed Wales, who brought a large black bag into court, would be released on unconditional bail until his sentencing. The judge added: “All options remain open including the possibility of an immediate custodial sentence so you must come on the next occasion ready for all options.”
Wales, who was unsupported in court, told the judge: “Have a good day, your honour” when he was told he could leave.
Smith’s body was found a week after he carried out the fatal arson attack. Smith’s brother, Michael, had reported him missing the day before. Smith, who lived on Lower Breck Road, had last been in contact with a member of his family on July 19.
Senior coroner André Rebello told the inquest into his death: “I understand his body had been removed from the bath and then to the rear of a different property.”
The cordon around the derelict building where Paul Joseph Smith was found(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A trial earlier this year heard how Eric Greener, 77, and Sheila Jackson, 83, died following an arson attack at their home on South John Street in St Helens on July 15, 2025. Kevin Weetman, Kylie Maynard and Lee Owens were all convicted after the trial but the jury was told the man who carried out the arson attack, Smith, had died.
Smith, known as “Smigger”, had travelled to the scene with Owens, with the jury being told the intended victim of the fire was Jackson’s son, George, who sometimes lived at the house. Weetman was said to have planned the attack after George Jackson refused to sell drugs for him.
Weetman was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years, “trusted lieutenant” Maynard was jailed for 23 years and Owens was sentenced to 13 years and six months.
Following Smith’s death Merseyside Police launched a murder probe. However, the inquest heard how the investigation was later closed. While water was found in his lungs, a pathology report found it was nearly “impossible” to prove there was a third party responsible for this, or that drowning was the cause of death due to the “significant level” of drugs in his system.
Writing in his report, Dr Matthew Lyall said: “Neither can it be entirely excluded that the deceased was held under water by a third party, but pathological findings cannot prove that occurred.” Smith’s medical cause of death was given as mixed drug toxicity.