Gosport funeral directors sentenced
Richard Elkin and Hayley Bell have been sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court today
Last updated 19th Feb 2026
Two Gosport funeral directors have been sentenced to four years after leading a grieving family to believe their loved one had been cremated.
Richard Elkin, 49, and Hayley Bell, 42, have been convicted and found guilty of a number of offences, in one of the first prosecutions of its kind in the UK.
The defendants appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court today, and Elkin was removed for part of the case after swearing at victims in the gallery during the impact statements.
The judge said the harm of the crimes was "obvious" and it had caused families "serious, profound, and enduring distress".
He added: "No sentence can be a reflection of the value and the worth of the bodies neglected whilst in the care of Elkin and Bell."
Richard Elkin was found guilty of:
- Intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance between 27 June 2022 and 11 December 2023.
- Preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body between 3 November 2023 and 11 December 2023.
- Carrying on a business with intent to defraud creditors/for other fraudulent purpose between 10 August 2022 and 11 December 2023.
- Making a false instrument with intent for it to be accepted as genuine.
- Using a false instrument with intent for it to be accepted as genuine.
Hayley Bell was found guilty of:
- Intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance between 27 June 2022 and 11 December 2023.
- Preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body between 3 November 2023 and 11 December 2023.
- Carrying on a business with intent to defraud creditors/for other fraudulent purpose between 10 August 2022 and 11 December 2023.
Andrew Eddy, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Today’s sentence marks an important moment — one of the first times funeral directors have been held criminally accountable for denying families a lawful and dignified burial.
"Richard Elkin and Hayley Bell abused their position of trust, stored bodies in degrading conditions, lied to grieving relatives, and continued trading when they knew they could not meet even basic obligations.
"Their actions were deliberate and caused deep emotional harm to dozens of families.
"They robbed many of their one chance to say goodbye with dignity.
"The sentence today reflects the seriousness of that betrayal.
"Our thoughts remain with all the families affected by the actions of Elkin and Bell.
"No family should ever have to face such distress, especially at a time of loss.
"I am grateful to the families for their courage throughout this case and we hope that today brings some measure of justice.
"The CPS will continue to work with police to ensure that those who exploit grieving families — and who deny the deceased the dignity they deserve — are held fully to account."
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary launched an investigation into the business practices of Elkin & Bell Funeral Directors on Nobes Avenue in Gosport, following a report made to police at 10.45am on 10 December 2023.
At that time, High Court bailiffs had entered the business premises to repossess the property on behalf of the landlord.
The business was reportedly in rent arrears, had accrued debts and received numerous county court judgements.
Whilst inspecting the property, they located the bodies of two elderly men in a room at the rear of the premises, and concerns were raised around the condition of the bodies.
The premises were reportedly in a state of disarray with broken windows, used coffins, lack of refrigeration in the area in which bodies were stored, water dripping through the ceiling, and a pungent and unpleasant smell.
The police investigation unveiled a series of failings in the business that impacted a number of families and the wider community.
Assistant Chief Constable Tony Rowlinson said: “First and foremost my heart goes out to all of the families who have been affected by the actions of Elkin and Bell.
“I have met with the families present at court in this case and I am horrified by what they have experienced.
“When we lose a loved one, we put our complete faith in funeral directors as trusted pillars of the community.
"We turn to them when we are at our most vulnerable and we rightly expect that we are treated with honesty and compassion, and that our loved ones are treated with care and dignity.
“Elkin and Bell completely shattered the trust of those who turned to them whilst they were grieving.
"This is one of the worst betrayals I have ever seen in my policing career.
“There are families who now know the extent of the malpractice that went on, and the manner in which their loved ones were handled.
"But equally there are some families who still have unanswered questions.
“Elkin and Bell have robbed all of those affected of their one chance to say goodbye to their family or friends in a respectful and dignified manner, and that is utterly unforgivable.
“I have no doubts that the vast majority of funeral directors in the UK provide an exemplary service to their community, but this case shows that there are a minority who are capable of inflicting immeasurable harm, and it is clear that better regulation is needed to prevent this from ever happening again.
“I want anyone else who has been affected by this type of offending to know that as a police service we do have powers to prosecute – we will listen to you, we will support you, and we will do everything in our power to secure justice for you and your loved ones.”
Family members for one of the deceased found by the bailiffs were deceived into believing that their loved one had already been cremated on 4 December.
Police say the loved one was still lying in situ and decomposing in the rear of the Nobes Avenue address after 36 days.
Elkin had initially claimed that they had been unable to proceed with the cremation because they hadn’t received the insurance payment, but the police investigation revealed this to be untrue.
Proof of payment to the defendants from a pre-arranged funeral plan was obtained by investigators.
Months later, Hayley Bell confirmed to police in a statement that she had received the payment but simply did not ‘have the time’ to sort the cremation.
The prosecution argued that the reason the defendants didn't carry out the required services was because their business had long been insolvent, and the business model was a case of ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’.
Police say the business had been fraudulently trading, and Elkin had displayed a forged 'Certificate of Funeral Directing' in the front of their office.
This was claimed to have been issued by the National Association of Funeral Directors, which was false.