A funeral director has appeared in court charged with 30 counts of preventing a lawful burial after a police raid recovered remains from his Hull parlour.
Robert Bush, 47, is also accused 30 counts of fraud by false representation relating to bodies, and one count of fraud by false representation in relation to human ashes found at a Legacy Independent Funeral Directors site. The charges date from between April 2023 and March 2024.
Wearing a dark grey three-piece suit with a purple tie and pocket square, Mr Bush spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address during a brief hearing at Hull Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
He was not asked to indicate any pleas as the charges and names of 30 alleged victims, some of whose families attended the hearing via video-link, were read out.
The funeral director was told that 30 of the charges could only be dealt with at crown court.
District Judge Daniel Curtis bailed him with conditions to attend Bridlington Police Station every day from Monday to Friday.
The 30 charges of fraud relating to named victims allege that he made false representations claiming that he would "properly care for the remains of the deceased", arrange for cremation “immediately or soon after the conclusion of the funeral service" and that "the ashes presented to the customer were the remains of the deceased person after cremation".
He has also been charged with one count of fraudulent trading over funeral plans sold between May 2012 and March 2024, and one count of theft from 12 charities, including the Salvation Army, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Dogs Trust.
Humberside Police launched an investigation into the funeral director’s three premises last March after the force received reports of “concern for the care of the deceased”.
A number of bodies were recovered from the firm’s Hessle Road site in Hull.
Following a 10-month investigation, they announced in April that Mr Bush had been charged. He faces a total of 63 alleged offences.
Mr Bush, formerly of Kirk Ella, East Yorkshire, but now of Otley, West Yorkshire, is due to appear at Hull Crown Court on 13 August.
