A Hull funeral director subjected bereaved families to betrayal on an “almost industrial scale” by leaving their loved ones’ bodies to decompose, a court has heard. Robert Bush, the proprietor of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, appeared at Hull Crown Court this week for a five-day sentencing hearing, having previously admitted to 67 offences, including 30 counts of preventing lawful and decent burial.
Victim impact statements read in court painted a grim picture of the emotional toll inflicted by Bush’s actions. Family members described experiencing nightmares and PTSD, with some breaking down while recounting their experiences. On his arrival at court, Bush, 48, from Otley, West Yorkshire, offered an apology to those affected.
Several families detailed how Bush allegedly smiled as he presented them with incorrect ashes, all while their deceased relatives remained secretly uncremated. Jayne Rimmington shared her shock at the weight of the ashes she received for her 86-year-old mother, Shirley Wright, in October 2023, which Bush attributed to “bone density.” Ms Wright’s body was later recovered from the Legacy premises five months after her death. “He stood there smiling, handed me the box, when she was still laying there, rotting away. It’s a purely evil thing to do,” Ms Rimmington told the court.
Vicky Mitchell received what she believed were her father Collin Wainman’s ashes in a navy blue box inside a Hobbycraft bag. Mr Wainman’s body was subsequently found on 8 March 2024, 198 days after his passing. During a search of the Legacy premises in March 2024, Humberside police discovered multiple bodies left uncovered and in varying states of decomposition, stored on racks. One naked body was found on a stretcher on the floor, and personal items like flowers, rings, teddy bears, and cards intended for loved ones had been swept under the floorboards.
The recovery of bodies required two days and the involvement of several officers, including a disaster identification team, with identification often relying on dental records, DNA, or fingerprints. Disturbingly, the remains of an 18-week stillborn boy, identified as Sunny Beverly-Collin, were found on the floor in what appeared to be a police evidence bag. His mother, Jasmine, had believed he had received a proper funeral and cremation. The court also heard from Rea Burton, who was given a stranger’s ashes by Bush after he had concealed her grandfather, David Burton, for months. Karen King, daughter of 94-year-old Norman Bridger, expressed feeling “violated” after placing what she now believes to be an unknown person’s ashes into lockets she and her mother wore, having also gifted Bush a bottle of port in thanks for his services.