Hull Funeral Director Admits Decade-Long Fraud Affecting Hundreds of Families
Hundreds of families in Hull have been left shattered by the "utter devastation" caused by fraudulent funeral director Robert Bush, whose deceptive business practices spanned over a decade. The 48-year-old owner of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors admitted to 67 offences committed over a 12-year period, with sentencing scheduled for July at Hull Crown Court.
Widespread Deception and Emotional Trauma
Approximately 240 victim impact statements are due to be submitted ahead of his sentencing, highlighting the profound emotional harm inflicted. The victims include relatives of 31 individuals whose bodies were held at his premises on Hessle Road for months beyond their scheduled cremation, families whose loved ones’ unidentified ashes were discovered, and around 150 people who were sold fraudulent funeral plans.
Speaking outside court after Bush pleaded guilty to all charges, campaigner Karen Dry, whose parents were both cremated at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, said: “There is an enduring sense of deep betrayal, emotional stress, and damage caused by this individual, to many families right across this city.”
She added: “From the torment of not knowing whether we have the ashes of our loved ones, to families having the trauma of DNA profiling to establish the identity of their deceased loved ones and having the distress of a second funeral, not to mention the anguish and hardship caused by fraudulent, and now worthless, funeral plans.”
Police Investigation Reveals Extent of Crimes
Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Alan Curtis, of Humberside Police, stated: “The utter devastation and emotional harm Robert Bush has caused to hundreds of victims and families cannot be underestimated.”
He explained: “Thirty-one families believed that their loved one had been cremated, when in fact they remained on site within the Legacy premises on Hessle Road. Most had been given ashes and had been advised that their loved ones’ cremation had taken place.”
Detective Superintendent Curtis continued: “Other families, who had chosen cremations through Legacy, were left waiting for ashes that have never been provided, or were deceived by Bush and given ashes that we now know were not their loved ones. The distress and devastation that this has caused for those families is simply unimaginable.”
Fraudulent Practices and Financial Betrayal
The investigation revealed that Bush sold fraudulent funeral plans between 2012 and 2024, betraying the trust of approximately 150 victims who paid for future arrangements. Detective Superintendent Curtis noted: “People paid Bush for funeral plans, so in the future their families didn’t have to worry about costs and arrangements for their own funerals. He betrayed this trust, leaving some victims with the uncertainty around their own funeral arrangements and without the means to pay for them.”
Additionally, Bush stole from twelve charities by failing to pass on donations collected at funerals, including:
- Salvation Army
- MacMillan Cancer Support
- CHIEF
- Dogs Trust
- Dove House
- Help for Heroes
- Maister Lodge
- Oakwood Dog Rescue
- RNLI
- Sailors Children Society
- WISHH
- Hull Fishing Heritage Charity
List of Victims and Specific Allegations
The case involves numerous specific victims, including thirty individuals whose bodies were found at the funeral home, such as Norman Bridger, Jonathan Butler, and Muriel Winning. Other allegations include four "foetus allegations" where Bush falsely told mothers the ashes he gave them were the remains of their unborn children, and fifty-seven victims of fraud over ashes, including Michelle Drewry and Shelly Chearman.
Detective Superintendent Curtis concluded: “The damage he has caused to families across our communities is quite possibly irreparable, with so many victims who have suffered and continue to do so.” The sentencing in July is expected to bring some closure, but the emotional scars for hundreds in Hull will likely endure for years to come.
