Steven Wales is due to be sentenced today after admitting preventing the lawful and decent burial of Paul Smith, whose body was found in a wheelie bin in Everton. The 61-year-old, of Pope Street in Bootle, previously pleaded guilty to the charge during a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month.
The case is listed before Judge Neil Flewitt KC in courtroom 42 from 10am on Wednesday. Wales was released on unconditional bail until today's date after his plea.
Discovery of the body
Paul Smith was found dead at a property on Thirlmere Road in Everton, two days after he is believed to have suffered a drug overdose in a bath. The 40-year-old's death was not reported until July 22, when Wales phoned police and said he "had died in the bath".
Officers arrived at the scene and found Smith dead inside a bin at the rear of derelict properties. Merseyside Police initially launched a murder probe following Smith's death, although the investigation was later closed.
Background and related convictions
Smith, a dad-of-five, had previously set fire to a house on South John Street in St Helens in the early hours of July 15 last year, killing elderly couple Eric Greener and Sheila Jackson. He was then said to have spent July 20 2025 at a house on Coniston Street in Everton, taking a range of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and several sedatives.
An inquest last month heard that Smith is believed to have overdosed in the bath, with water found in his lungs. A pathologist found it was nearly "impossible" to prove that a third party had been responsible or that drowning was the cause of death due to the "significant level" of drugs in his system, with his medical cause of death given as mixed drug toxicity.
Court proceedings
Judge Brian Cummings KC told Wales after he admitted the charge: "All options remain open, including the possibility of an immediate custodial sentence, so you must come on the next occasion ready for all options."
Kevin Weetman, Kylie Maynard and Lee Owens were all convicted of the manslaughter of Eric, 77, and Sheila, 83, following a trial before the same court earlier. Weetman was said to have ordered and planned the arson attack with the help of Maynard after Mr Jackson apparently refused to sell drugs for him. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years, with his "trusted lieutenant" handed 23 years and Owens sentenced to 13-and-a-half years.
