The owner of a Hull funeral home has admitted to a series of offences after the discovery of dozens of uncremated bodies, including that of a stillborn baby found in a paper bag, nearly two years after his death. Robert Bush, proprietor of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, pleaded guilty to 67 charges, including multiple counts of preventing lawful and decent burial, fraud, and mishandling bodies entrusted to his care.

The case came to light in March 2024 when police raided Legacy’s premises on Hessle Road, uncovering the remains of 30 to 35 individuals in varying stages of decomposition. Many bodies were found on racks in cold storage, some still dressed in the clothing worn at the time of death, and without proper identification. Among them was the body of Sunny, the stillborn son of Jasmine Beverley, who died in May 2022 at 18 weeks gestation. Sunny’s remains had been kept in a brown paper bag on the floor, rather than being cremated as the family had been led to believe.

Families of the deceased spoke in court of their distress and betrayal. Beverley, reading a victim impact statement, said she had trusted Bush to care for her son with dignity. She described how her family had left personal items with Sunny’s body and had attended a small service at Legacy’s chapel, only to receive ashes later confirmed not to belong to their son. Other parents similarly recounted receiving incorrect ashes or none at all, describing the emotional toll of not knowing what had happened to their loved ones’ remains.

Prosecutors detailed how Bush operated the funeral business for over 14 years but breached the trust of numerous families over nearly 12 years. He sold unauthorized funeral plans, failed to properly cremate or bury bodies, and falsely provided families with ashes that were not those of their relatives. The court heard that he also misappropriated funds meant for charities, with evidence showing empty donation envelopes found among the premises.

The full extent of the fraud remains uncertain due to poor record-keeping, but at least 57 cases involving incorrect ashes have been identified from 2017 to 2024. The prosecution estimated the financial impact of the offences at approximately £86,000. Some families have reported receiving items such as ashes in empty bags or ashes belonging to strangers, while others have been left with no closure.

The discovery of bodies in a "horror scene" at the funeral home shocked local communities. Witnesses described Legacy as dirty and unkempt, with personal mementos scattered on the floor. Some relatives likened the scene to an industrial scale failure of care, with one daughter describing her father's treatment as "like a piece of meat." The court heard that the situation was uncovered only after Bush, while on holiday in Arizona, asked colleagues from another funeral home to assist, but Legacy staff reportedly said: “Bodies have been there for years,” prompting them to alert police.

Bush was arrested upon returning to the UK and admitted financial difficulties but denied that these fully explained his conduct. Authorities described his financial problems as self-inflicted, rather than dire, highlighting his failure to use funeral fees to properly manage the bodies in his possession.

The sentencing hearing, set to continue this week at Hull Crown Court, includes victim statements from families affected by the scandal. The presiding judge noted the gravity of the abuses and the widespread impact of the funeral director’s actions on the community.