Legacy Funeral Directors Sentencing Begins
Robert Bush admitted over 60 charges, including preventing a lawful & decent burial
The sentencing of a man on 60 offences over remains found at an East Yorkshire funeral homes begins today.
Robert Bush, formerly of Kirk Ella - admitted charges dating back over a decade at Legacy Funeral Directors.
The sentencing hearing is expected to last five days, with hundreds of victim impact statements expected to be heard in court.
The inquiry, which began in March 2024, uncovered 35 bodies and suspected human ashes at Legacy Funeral Directors on Hessle Road.
Families were subsequently informed that the remains could not be identified.
As the investigation progressed, Robert Bush was charged with more than 60 offences by April 2025.
Families Struggle with Trauma
Tristan Essex, who put his trust in Robert Bush for the arrangements of his grandmother's funeral, has expressed his feelings of violation and heartbreak.
Tristan's grandmother was among the bodies found at the funeral home, and he was given the wrong ashes.
He has since placed a plaque for his grandmother, Jesse, in a memorial garden on Chanterlands Avenue in Hull.
Tristan Essex said: "In the beginning, we was told the body was found in the funeral directors with an ankle bracelet that the mortuary would've put on and it said my grandma's name.
"She was found in the back when we had somebody else's ashes.”
“There were a few things that weren't right. There was a smell, and was speckles of blood on the linen of the coffin. And she was in different coffins every time I saw her, even though we'd picked a specific coffin.
"Now looking back on it, I suppose it was a big red flag, but he said he'd do everything for me. I feel violated. And especially for my grandma, he took all of her dignity away, we've been left traumatised.
"It's broken most of the family apart. My nana was someone who held the family together and this has pushed it in the opposite direction. It's a daily struggle.
Here are the charges Bush has admitted:
30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial in relation to the recovery of the deceased from the premise on Hessle Road between April 2023 and March 2024
One count of theft from charities between 1 September, 2017 and 6 March, 2023
30 counts of fraud by false representation in relation to the deceased recovered at the Hessle Road premise who should have been cremated, and their families advised they had been and provided with ashes between April 2023 and March 2024
Four counts of fraud by false representation in relation to ashes provided to families following loss in pregnancy, with one of the unborn being recovered from the premises. These families were provided with ashes between August 2017 and March 2024
One count of fraud by false representation in relation to either families provided with ashes of their loved ones, with ashes identified as their loved one later found at the premise, or families not receiving any ashes at all between August 2017 and March 2024
One count of fraudulent trading in relation to funeral plans between 23 May, 2012 and 6 March, 2024.