Mr Justice Hillard said it might "be good" if banks help grieving families hurt by shamed funeral director Robert Bush by paying them back the money they have lost. The comment came during the sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court, where Bush faces 67 offences spanning 12 years.
Police describe harrowing discovery
Police officers shared their "disbelief" after finding dead bodies and a foetus in a bag at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors. James Milligan, the Humberside Police force lead for chemical, radiation and hazardous material, was deployed in March 2024 with a team of five officers. In his statement read to the court, he recalled discovering the remains of Jasmine Beverley's baby: "I remember one of the team saying: 'is this what I think it is?' We were all looking at each other in what I can only describe as disbelief. For one of the few times in my life, it knocked the wind out of my sails that this was an unborn human foetus/baby."
PC Jason Sutcliffe said: "I class myself as a resilient person. Finding the foetus will never leave my thoughts, and I was disgusted and deeply saddened. I am due to retire from the police shortly, and I can honestly say that this was probably the worst experience of my career."
Victims lose savings, seek refunds
Maxine Hill told how her parents were conned by Bush after buying funeral plans. Her mother Margaret died in May 2024 and father John died in June 2025. Maxine said: "Mum had paid Bush in cash, so the bank has refused to refund the fraud she has been subjected to. Although Dad did receive a refund from the TSB Bank, he still worried that he owed this money to the bank. Then, 90 days after receiving the refund, the TSB took the money back as they said there was no evidence that he hadn't received a product. Both mum and dad were defrauded of £2,649 each."
Anne Hillerby said Bush charged her "around £5,000" for two funeral plans but offered to "knock off £100 for paying in cash." She added: "We have since found out the plans are not in place and I have not received a refund due to paying in cash. Robert Bush has ripped off so many vulnerable people."
Bush's crimes and sentencing
The court heard Bush, 48, defrauded 226 people by charging them for funeral plans he was not authorised to set up, keeping more than half a million pounds over almost 12 years. He pleaded guilty to 30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial, theft from 12 charities, 30 counts of fraud by false representation, four "foetus allegations" of fraud, a further fraud charge covering the ashes of 57 people, and one of fraudulent trading. He is due to be sentenced for 67 offences.
