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\n A man has admitted preventing the lawful burial of a suspect in a fatal arson attack after a man’s body was found in a wheelie bin in Liverpool.\n <\/p>\n
The remains of Paul Smith, 40, were discovered in the bin in Everton on 22 July last year, seven days after he is believed to have started a fire at the home of Sheila Jackson, 83, and her partner Eric Greener, 77, in St Helens, Merseyside.<\/p>\n
The pensioners were rescued from the blaze but died later in hospital from burns and smoke inhalation.<\/p>\n
Steven Wales, 61, pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful and decent burial of Mr Smith’s body at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday.<\/p>\n
He was granted unconditional bail by Judge Brian Cummings KC, who warned him “all options” were open, including “the possibility of an immediate prison sentence”.<\/p>\n
Before leaving the court, Wales, of Pope Street, Bootle, said: “Have a good day, your honour.”<\/p>\n
An inquest last month heard Mr Smith had died in a bath having taken a cocktail of drugs, before his body was moved to the bin where it was found.<\/p>\n
Wales called police on 22 July, 2025, telling them a man had either drowned or overdosed in the bath at a property at Coniston Street, Everton, two days earlier, a hearing at the Gerard Majella Courthouse in Liverpool was told.<\/p>\n
Mr Smith’s body was found in a wheelie bin at the rear of derelict properties nearby.<\/p>\n
Mr Smith had taken heroin close to the time of his death, as well as a “relatively large amount of cocaine” and a number of sedatives, according to Home Office pathologist Dr Matthew Lyall, quoting from toxicology test results.<\/p>\n
Drowning could not be proved or excluded, Dr Lyall said, adding that it also couldn’t be excluded “that the deceased was held underwater by a third party, but pathological findings cannot prove that occurred”.<\/p>\n
Recording the death as drug-related, the coroner said: “He died from taking illicit and sedative drugs which caused respiratory failure.”<\/p>\n
In February, Kevin Weetman, 34, Kylie Maynard, 37, and Lee Owens, 46, were jailed for the manslaughter of Mr Greener and Ms Jackson.<\/p>\n
A trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard Mr Smith had travelled with Owens to the home in South John Street just after 12.30am on 15 July.<\/p>\n
Read more:<\/strong> Weetman was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years for planning the attack after Mrs Jackson’s son George, 48, refused to sell drugs for him.<\/p>\n Maynard, said to be the “trusted lieutenant” in Weetman’s drugs line, was jailed for 23 years and Owens was sentenced to 13 years and six months.<\/p>\n \n
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