Robert Bush, the disgraced owner of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for failing to bury or cremate bodies and for providing bereaved families with the ashes of strangers. The crimes came to light in March 2024 when police raided the Hull-based funeral home, discovering 35 bodies and over 100 sets of ashes that had not been processed.
At Hull Crown Court, Judge Justice Hilliard described Bush's actions as causing "anguish and pain on a scale beyond comprehension." Bush pleaded guilty to 67 offenses, including defrauding nearly 200 families out of approximately £500,000. In addition to his prison sentence, Bush has been prohibited from serving as a company director for 14 years.
The judge stated that Bush's deceitful behavior was motivated by financial greed and indicated that he possessed a "heartless side" that allowed him to treat both the living and the deceased in such a manner, noting Bush's confidence that he would evade detection.