A former funeral director has admitted 35 counts of fraud following a major police investigation into human remains discovered at his premises, but has denied preventing the lawful burial of bodies.
Robert Bush, 47, pleaded guilty to 35 charges of fraud by false representation at Hull Crown Court on Wednesday, along with one count of fraudulent trading in relation to funeral plans at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors.
However, the former Kirk Ella resident, who now lives in West Yorkshire, entered not guilty pleas to 30 counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body and one charge of theft from charities.
Bush will now face a full trial on the disputed charges at Sheffield Crown Court on October 5, 2026, where a jury will decide on the most serious allegations against him.
The case stems from a complex and highly sensitive investigation launched by Humberside Police in March 2024 after officers received a report raising “concern for care of the deceased” at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors.
The shocking discovery of human remains at the company’s Hessle Road site in Hull triggered a 10-month investigation that sent shockwaves through the local community and left hundreds of bereaved families fearing their loved ones had not been treated with dignity.
Within just one month of the investigation beginning, police revealed they had been inundated with more than 2,000 calls to a dedicated phone line from distraught families concerned about their relatives’ ashes and the handling of remains.
Bush was originally charged in April 2025 with a combined total of 65 offences spanning more than a decade, relating to three Legacy premises in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire.
The fraud charges to which he has now pleaded guilty primarily relate to false representations made about the proper care of remains and the return of ashes to grieving families. The fraudulent trading charge involves funeral plans sold to customers between May 2012 and March 2024, encompassing 172 victims.
However, Bush has denied the 30 charges alleging he prevented lawful and decent burials of bodies recovered from the funeral premises between April 2023 and March 2024. These charges relate to 30 different individuals whose remains were discovered during the police investigation.
He has also denied one count of theft from charities, which prosecutors claim involved money stolen from charitable donations collected at the funeral home.
The case bears disturbing similarities to other funeral home scandals that have rocked Britain in recent years, where families discovered their loved ones had not been treated with the dignity and respect they paid for.
Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Robin Weyell, speaking when charges were authorised earlier this year, said the Crown Prosecution Service’s thoughts and sympathies remained with the affected families during “this difficult time.”
Deputy Chief Constable Dave Marshall of Humberside Police described the investigation as “complex, protracted and highly sensitive,” emphasising that families had always been the priority and would remain at the heart of the case.
“We have updated the families of the 35 deceased with this development and we have made initial contact with additional victims who have been affected by the investigation,” Marshall said when charges were first brought. “We will be personally in touch with them in the coming days.”
Police urged the public to refrain from speculation or commentary that could prejudice the case, stressing the importance of allowing affected families to get the answers they desperately need and deserve.
Bush, who appeared at Hull Crown Court wearing a grey three-piece suit, white shirt and mauve tie, spoke only to confirm his identity during the brief hearing on Wednesday.
Judge John Thackray KC, Honorary Recorder of Hull and the East Riding, presided over the proceedings as Bush entered his pleas via video link, with approximately 200 people believed to be watching remotely, the majority from bereaved families.
The judge granted Bush continued bail under the same conditions he has been subject to since being charged, requiring him to reside at his current address in Busk Lane, Otley, West Yorkshire, and report regularly to a police station.
The case has devastated the local community in Hull, where Legacy Independent Funeral Directors had operated for years, serving families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Many families who used the service now face the anguish of not knowing whether their loved ones were treated properly, whether they received the correct ashes, or if the funerals they paid for were conducted as promised.
The 30 counts of preventing lawful and decent burial, which Bush denies, represent the most serious allegations he faces. If convicted of these charges at trial, he could face substantial prison time.
Under English law, preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body is considered a grave offence that undermines public health, decency and the fundamental dignity owed to the deceased.
The fraud charges Bush has admitted cover a wide range of alleged deceptions. One count relates specifically to human ashes between August 2017 and March 2024, involving 50 victims who may have been given incorrect remains or misled about what happened to their loved ones’ ashes.
The fraudulent trading charge encompasses an even longer period, running from May 2012 to March 2024, suggesting systematic problems with how funeral plans were sold and administered over more than a decade.
Such pre-paid funeral plans are meant to provide peace of mind, allowing people to arrange and pay for their funerals in advance. The 172 victims identified in this charge may have paid for services they did not receive or been misled about what their plans covered.
Bush’s guilty pleas on Wednesday to the fraud-related charges mean he has accepted criminal responsibility for deceiving customers and families, though the full extent of that deception will likely be detailed during the trial on the remaining charges.
The theft from charities charge, which Bush denies, adds another troubling dimension to the case. Funeral homes often collect charitable donations from mourners attending services, with families sometimes requesting donations in lieu of flowers to honour their loved ones’ memory.
If proven, the allegation that Bush stole from such collections would represent a particularly callous breach of trust, taking money intended for good causes like the Salvation Army, Macmillan Cancer Support, Help for Heroes and the RNLI.
The Crown Prosecution Service will now prepare for the full trial at Sheffield Crown Court next October, where prosecutors will present evidence attempting to prove Bush prevented lawful burials and stole from charities.
Bush’s defence team will have nearly a year to prepare their case for why he should be acquitted of these charges, despite his admissions on the fraud counts.
The trial is expected to be emotionally charged, with family members of the deceased likely to attend to hear what happened to their loved ones and seek some measure of justice and closure.
For now, the affected families face a lengthy wait until October 2026 for answers about the most serious allegations, whilst coming to terms with Bush’s admissions that he defrauded customers and traded fraudulently over many years.
The case has prompted wider questions about regulation and oversight of the funeral industry, with campaigners calling for stronger protections for bereaved families who are often vulnerable and trusting when making arrangements.
Bush remains on bail and will return to court before the trial for further pre-trial hearings to manage the complex case and ensure both prosecution and defence are ready for what promises to be a difficult and closely watched trial.
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