For 12 years, a man from Hull has been committing multiple counts of fraud in his professional capacity as a funeral director — including the shocking accusation of handing unidentified ashes to a couple who had four stillborn babies. Now facing 67 charges, he has pleaded guilty to just over half of them.
Robert Bush, 47, arrived in court wearing a grey three-piece suit and a baseball cap that conveniently covered most of his face. The judge reportedly read out the details of all his charges — a process that took 30 minutes. During that time, Bush stood emotionless, admitting to 36 of them. According to the BBC, he stood in a gallery overlooking some of his victims who attended the hearing. With every not guilty plea, gasps grew louder in the courtroom until a woman became so irate that she interrupted the proceedings. Sometimes even family can’t stomach court cases.
Bush’s charges include preventing lawful burial and fraudulently taking money from bereaved families who were expecting proper funeral arrangements — the latter of which he has since admitted to. Bush described his gross misconduct as “false promises.”
What truly shocked the court, however, was the description of how Bush ran his business behind the scenes. Bereaved families were horrified to learn that, although Bush had claimed to have given them the ashes of their loved ones — sometimes as far back as a decade ago — some of the bodies were still at his premises. As many as 30 deceased individuals were found at his funeral home, Legacies Independent Funeral Directors.
Among the recovered remains was that of a stillborn baby, discovered after a sting operation at the premises. It stands as one of the most horrific cases involving a stillborn or newborn. Furthermore, Bush has also been accused of stealing money from charities, including the Salvation Army and Help for Heroes, by taking cash from collection boxes — a charge he pleaded not guilty to. Questions remain about how the prosecution plans to proceed following Bush’s partial admission of guilt.
The Humberside Police released a statement to The Guardian, saying, “We are unable to provide any further details or information at this time to ensure judicial proceedings are not jeopardised. Further comment will be made available at the conclusion of all court hearings, at which time the offences he has pleaded guilty to will also be dealt with.”
Bush was released on bail and is expected to attend his trial as a free man for the next eight weeks, after which he will be sentenced for the 36 charges he has admitted to. The remaining charges are expected to go to trial on October 5 next year. As seen in the Diddy trial, court case outcomes can sometimes be unpredictable.
The need for due diligence when seeking a funeral director cannot be overstated. It is always a painful and vulnerable time for families, and dignity is paramount. Yet sometimes, the issue goes beyond simply choosing the cheapest option — this was outright fraud. It’s understandable why some victims were outraged that Bush pleaded not guilty to several charges. Now, it’s up to the prosecutors to prove why they brought those charges in the first place.
