Man Jailed for Concealing Ex-Partner's Body for Years

A 51-year-old man, Jamie Stevens, was sentenced after a court heard he had concealed the body of his ex-partner, Anouska Sites, for years. The discovery was made in May 2025, but the body had been in the flat since January 2023. Stevens had been living in the same property in Torquay, Devon, where he had found Ms. Sites deceased.

The court heard that Ms. Sites was last seen in May 2022. She was reported missing in April 2023. Police inquiries revealed that she had been in regular contact with the police due to her vulnerabilities, including mental health problems and addictions. When contacted by police about Ms. Sites' whereabouts, Stevens claimed he had not seen her since early 2022.

On May 27, police visited the flat in Upton Road after Stevens stated he no longer lived there. The officers described the property as being in a state of disarray, with significant clutter and unsanitary conditions. During a search, they discovered a skeletal arm and hand under a blanket in the living area. Fragranced items were scattered around the lounge, suggesting an attempt to mask odors.

Stevens was arrested and admitted the body was that of Ms. Sites. He explained that she had asked to stay the night at his flat in January 2023. He found her deceased on the sofa the next day. Instead of reporting the death, he covered her body with a blanket and continued to live in his bedroom, avoiding the lounge.

Stevens had previously pleaded guilty to preventing a lawful burial and perverting the course of justice. The second charge related to him lying to the police in a witness statement about his knowledge of Ms. Sites' whereabouts. The defense described Stevens's failure to report the death as a "passive failure" initially, which escalated when he lied to the police.

The defense also stated that Stevens had expressed remorse, stating that Ms. Sites was a "lovely person" and that he missed her terribly. The judge, in sentencing Stevens to 14 months, described the case as "absolutely tragic." The judge noted that there was no reason to doubt Stevens's account of finding Ms. Sites dead and that he had "completely wrongly panicked" and concealed her body for years.