A disgraced former funeral director, who has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for preventing lawful burials after remains were found at his premises, also stole money from bereaved families who had requested funds were sent to charities of their choice.

Robert Bush, 48, formerly of Kirk Ella, East Yorkshire, was sentenced at the end of last week after pleading guilty to a total of 67 charges, including the prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud, fraudulent trading, and a count of theft of money that was to be paid to the charities.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Bush “stole money he had received from families who requested that the funds be sent to their chosen charities”.

A dozen good causes were cited by families, but the charities told prosecutors that “they never received these donations”, said the CPS.

Charities impacted include the Salvation Army, Macmillan Cancer Support, Help for Heroes and the RNLI.

'Most serious breaches of trust possible'

CPS deputy chief crown prosecutor Laura Tams said: “These crimes represent some of the most serious breaches of trust possible in the funeral industry.

“They include preventing the lawful and decent burial of loved ones, defrauding families who paid for services never provided, returning incorrect ashes to grieving relatives, fraudulent trading of funeral plans, and the theft of charitable donations made in memory of the deceased.

“The impact on the families and wider community has been profound. At their most vulnerable time, when seeking dignity and closure for their loved ones, these families were subjected to appalling violations of trust.”

She added: “I want to take this opportunity to share my deepest condolences to all those who have been affected.

“Learning that their relatives' remains had not received proper care, and that some received the wrong ashes, has caused immeasurable additional grief and trauma.”

After receiving the initial report in March 2024 about Bush, officers launched an investigation that uncovered “the horrific circumstances surrounding the care of the deceased inside the funeral home”, said Humberside Police.

“In the building were the loved ones of 35 families, most of whom had been there much longer than necessary.

"It soon became apparent as our enquiries progressed that families had been told their loved one had been cremated when this had not actually happened. Some had also been given ashes despite no cremation having taken place,” the force added.

Humberside Police assistant chief constable Andy Walker said: “This has been one of the largest and most complex investigations ever carried out by Humberside Police.

“Our focus for the last two years has been delivering justice for the devastated families who are at the heart of this case

“Robert Bush’s actions have had a profound effect on so many people; we have been determined to make sure that we kept them at the heart of everything we have done, every step of the way.

“We also know that the effects of this case will be far-reaching and will have an impact in our local communities and beyond for a very long time.”

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