Robert Bush sentenced for fraud and mishandling bodies at Hull funeral home
Robert Bush, 48, the director of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, pleaded guilty to 67 offences committed over a 12‑year period. The offences include 30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial, multiple fraud charges for selling funeral plans without passing payments to the relevant financial institutions, and theft from 12 charities.
A police raid in March 2024 uncovered approximately 31 bodies stored on cold‑storage racks, among them a stillborn baby that had been kept for almost two years, and more than 100 sets of ashes. Investigators found that Bush had kept the bodies for months and supplied families with the wrong ashes, sometimes belonging to strangers.
A five‑day sentencing hearing began at Hull Crown Court, during which over 100 bereaved relatives gave impact statements. Bush offered a brief apology in court but showed little remorse. The judge is now set to deliver a custodial sentence for the extensive breach of trust and the numerous criminal offences.
Entities: Chris Paxton · Hull Crown Court · Humberside Police · Joanne Moody · Legacy Independent Funeral Directors · Robert Bush
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 12 SOURCES] Police discovered 31 bodies stored at the funeral home, including a stillborn baby, and more than 100 sets of ashes. (new)
- [● 11 SOURCES] He was the director of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull. (new)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Families said Bush's apology was appalling and they received no direct apology. (source)
- [● 11 SOURCES] Robert Bush pleaded guilty to 67 offences spanning 12 years. (new)
- [● 9 SOURCES] He fraudulently sold funeral plans without passing payments to the financial institutions. (new)
- [● 11 SOURCES] He gave families the wrong ashes while keeping bodies for months. (new)
- [● 11 SOURCES] A five‑day sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court will hear statements from over 100 victims. (source)
- [● 9 SOURCES] He stole from 12 charities, including the Salvation Army and Macmillan Cancer Support. (new)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Bush received £562,117 from fraudulent trading related to funeral plans. (Robert Bush)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Bush was convicted of 30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial. (new)
- [● 8 SOURCES] A five‑day sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court heard impact statements from over 100 victims. (new)