Humberside Police have released footage capturing the disturbing conditions uncovered at Legacy funeral parlour, operated by Robert Bush, following a police raid in March 2024. The bodycam video, recorded by the first officers to enter the premises, shows the grim discovery of 35 unburied bodies alongside bags of ashes and discarded personal items.

Bush, 48, a former funeral director, is due to be sentenced this week after pleading guilty to 67 offenses, including fraud and preventing lawful burials. The investigation began after Bush requested assistance from another undertaking company while he was on holiday in Arizona. Managers of that company were alerted when a casual worker at Legacy indicated that bodies had remained at the site “for years” and described the conditions as a “horror scene.”

Police also released footage of Bush’s arrest inside the “unkempt” funeral parlour. Officers found bodies in varying stages of decomposition, some uncovered and left unattended. Dr. Richard Lloyd, a human anatomy expert who testified at Hull Crown Court, described the situation as bodies being “abandoned” for natural decomposition in the mortuary.

Court proceedings have revealed further details about the state of the funeral parlour. Sentimental items, including jewellery, were scattered around the site, and a teddy bear was reportedly found lying in a pool of dried blood. Ashes were discovered on desks, in empty boxes, and scattered on the floor. The building itself showed signs of severe neglect, with collapsing ceilings, mould, and an unsanitary cold storage room.

In the video of the arrest, Bush was seen wearing a dressing gown and appeared confrontational, telling officers, “I don’t understand ... It’s like I’m Che Guevara or something.” Families of those whose remains were mishandled appeared emotional in court. More than 50 families received incorrect ashes or did not receive any cremated remains at all, compounding their distress. Mr Justice Hilliard noted in court that many may never learn what ultimately happened to the ashes of their loved ones.

The hearing is ongoing as the court continues to hear testimony regarding the extent of Bush’s misconduct and the impact on the affected families.