Funeral director Robert Bush stole cash donated by grieving families to well-known charities, Hull Crown Court heard on Wednesday.
Charity donations stolen
Prosecutor Steven Ball told the court that police were contacted by members of the public concerned that charitable donations made at Legacy following funeral services were not paid to their chosen charities. "Mr Bush has stolen money from funeral services for 12 separate named charities," Ball said. The charities include the Salvation Army, Macmillan Cancer Support, Help for Heroes, the RNLI and local groups.
Mary Jane Roberts collected between £300 and £600 for Macmillan at the funeral of her mother Lynne Wheal, who died from cancer in 2022. Bush told her: "We'll take care of it, don't worry." Ms Roberts recalled thinking "how nice he was for giving them one less thing to worry about", but Macmillan never received the donation.
When police raided Legacy, they found an empty envelope labelled "Donations in memory of Matthew Craig. Thank you". The court heard that Mr Craig died in September 2023, and the envelope should have contained donations for Dove House Hospice, collected by his mother Jayne Waudby.
Extensive criminal activity
Bush, 48, has admitted 67 offences relating to his business, Legacy Independent Funeral Directors. He pleaded guilty to 30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial over bodies found at the premises, theft from 12 charities, 30 counts of fraud by false representation, four "foetus allegations" of fraud, a further fraud charge covering ashes of 57 people, and one count of fraudulent trading relating to funeral plans between 2012 and 2024.
The judge, Mr Justice Hilliard, heard that over 12 years, Bush breached the trust of grieving families "on an almost industrial scale".
Impact on families
More than 80 people either faced Bush in court or had their statements read, describing his "callous" disregard. Among the 31 bodies kept at the funeral home was the body of a stillborn baby, Sunny, in a bag on the floor. Sunny's mother Jasmine Beverley sobbed as she told Bush: "I trusted you with the most precious person in my life."
Police were called to Legacy's Hessle Road premises in March 2024 after concerns were raised, finding 35 bodies and more than 100 sets of ashes.
