Ex-funeral director sentenced to 20 years after failing to bury and cremate dozens of people

Summary

Warning: this page contains distressing details
Ex-funeral director Robert Bush has been sentenced to 20 years in prison over his failure to bury and cremate dozens of people
During the sentencing at Hull Crown Court, Judge Mr Justice Hilliard says Bush's actions caused "anguish and pain on a scale beyond comprehension"
Victims attempted to hold back tears as the judge went over some of the harrowing details of Bush's offending, our reporter at court writes
The former funeral director had admitted 67 offences, including denying 30 people a decent and proper burial, and fraud charges relating to presenting families with the ashes of strangers
The sentencing follows a week of hearings in which victims described Bush, 48, as a "con man" - on Wednesday, Bush's barrister said "greed and incompetence" likely played a role in his crimes
Speaking outside court, an affected family member says a 'public inquiry should now be established'

Live Reporting

Edited by Jen Bateman, written by Eleanor Maslin with Sarah-May Buccieri reporting from Hull Crown Court

Victim describes 'sleepless nights' after funeral plan fraudpublished at 11:05 BST 30 July
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Barrie Marshall, along with his wife Margaret, paid Robert Bush £5,158 for funeral plans with Legacy.
They have not received a refund.
"We have been left worrying that should one of us pass away, how the one who is left will pay for their funeral.
"I go to bed every night worrying about the financial loss to us.
"We both have a small insurance policy, but these would not cover the cost of a funeral."
Marshall says he also has "sleepless nights" as a result of Bush's actions.
In the statement read to court, he adds: "I’m sure this con man has sorted his finances so that his money cannot be used to pay back his victims.
"He was such a nice man to deal with, yet the truth is he has deceived every one of us."
'Robert Bush preyed on innocent and vulnerable people'published at 11:02 BST 30 July
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

In a statement read to the court Alma Hunter says she had "fully trusted the person I had seen with my money and thought I had a funeral plan in place".
Her statement continues, she had bought the plan with Legacy so that her children did not have to arrange her funeral when she died, but now this was "inevitable".
Hunter has not yet received a refund, despite being in touch with her bank, the court hears.
"It has greatly affected my trust, my finances and how I enjoy my day-to-day life, as I am constantly worrying about the rising costs of funerals for my family, when the time comes that one is needed.
"Robert Bush preyed on innocent and vulnerable people, devastating lives and causing a huge amount of distress," the statement adds.

Victims thought Bush was a 'lovely' manpublished at 10:57 BST 30 July
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

We’re hearing more about people's perception of Bush’s character within these statements. How people felt as though he was a “lovely” man. That he’d go the extra mile.
There’s an overwhelming sense of magnitude to just how many people Bush managed to deceive.
“Mr Bush is a con man and is so good at it," one victim tells the court.
Victim recalls Bush telling her he had 'bitten off more than he could chew'published at 10:52 BST 30 July
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Jennifer Hart and her partner had taken out funeral plans with Legacy to the value of £5,000.
She says she was advised to ring Ecclesiastical Insurance, who "confirmed there were no plans in either mine or my partner's name".
"I don’t have any savings and the funeral plan was a safety net for me, so my children did not have to worry about this when I go.
"As the investigation went on, we were contacted by the police, to say they had found my Uncle Ronald’s ashes at the Hessle Road premises.
"I was totally in shock."
Her statement adds: "I remember Robert Bush saying he had bitten off more than he could chew as he had taken over the Hessle Road branch and was trying to honour the predecessor's plans."

The sums of money taken by Bush in funeral plan fraudpublished at 10:50 BST 30 July
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

We’re hearing lots of numbers within these statements, a £5,000 here or a £3,000 there.
The total amount of money Bush defrauded from people who bought funeral plans was given as £562,000 over a period of 11 years.
Woman says Legacy gave her uncle 'a real fear of dying'published at 10:45 BST 30 July
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

In a statement read on her behalf, Carol Grantley says her "beloved" Uncle Paddy took a funeral plan out with Legacy, which was refunded in January this year and "happened too late for Paddy to know about".
"I would like to seek compensation from Bush personally for the immense upset he caused my uncle.
"It gave him a real fear of dying, I would use it to pay for a lovely grave stone to remember him by."
She says her uncle "only took the plan out in the first place because he had come into some extra money from an insurance policy that had matured, and he thought he should cover the cost of his funeral with it before he spent it all".

'Dignity', 'respect', 'disgusted' - words being used in victim statementspublished at 10:42 BST 30 July
Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

In the last few days a few words have come up time and time again in the statements read out in court.
"Dignity" is one, "respect" another.
Today we’re hearing people say they’re "disgusted" by what he did.
'I was robbed of the chance to honour my father's wishes'published at 10:39 BST 30 July
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Lisa Baldwin used Legacy for her father, with a statement read out on her behalf in court.
Her statement reads: "My mother placed his ashes on a shelf in the wardrobe, surrounded by mementos of him - fragments of the man we loved that were all we had left.
"Each day, she would speak to him, sharing thoughts and words with him as if he were still there.
"She would even tell her grandchildren, when they misbehaved, that 'grandad knew' and he wasn’t pleased with them."
She says when they found out about the Legacy investigation, they questioned whether the ashes were her father's, and the comfort they got from his ashes was "violently taken from us".
"Mr Bush displayed both an air of arrogance and power in denying me the opportunity to see my dad after his passing.
"I was robbed of the chance to honour my father’s wishes and say my final goodbye before his cremation," the statement adds.

'I don't know how he sleeps at night,' victim statements continue to depict horror storiespublished at 10:38 BST 30 July
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

We’re continuing to hear victim statements, one after the next.
Each almost mirroring the last, depicting similar horror stories and similar upset.
One person’s statement remarks: “I don’t know how he sleeps at night."
Victims visibly upset after giving statements to courtpublished at 10:36 BST 30 July
Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

More statements from people affected are being read out now by barrister Steven Ball for the prosecution.
After Maxine Hill spoke she went to sit back down and was visibly upset.
Four days of this sentencing hearing has heard from so many people who still cry when they talk about Bush and what he did.

'Neither of them lived to see the justice they deserved'published at 10:33 BST 30 July
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Maxine Hill tells the court her parents had funeral plans with Legacy.
She says of her mum, Margaret, and dad, John, "neither of them lived to see the justice they deserved" and were both "defrauded of £2,649 each".
She tells the court: "I tried to shield and protect them from what had Bush has done, but it upset them both greatly.
"You would honestly think that ‘butter wouldn’t melt’ in Mr Bush's mouth."
She says she is left worrying if she "even has my husband's ashes" after she also paid Bush to provide cremation services when he died.
Victim in tears and she tells court defrauded parents have since diedpublished at 10:29 BST 30 July
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

As Hill continues to speak, the judge asks her whether Bush came to her parents home.
Through tears, she confirms.
The judge tells her the bank may one day return the money due to the publicity of the case.
She tells the judge “my mum and dad are no longer here” and weeps.

Daughter of those defrauded tells Bush she can no longer 'trust anyone'published at 10:28 BST 30 July
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Maxine Hill, who is next up speak, clears her throat.
Her voice is shaking as she talks about her mum.
She looks directly at Bush as she tells the court her parents were defrauded out of more than £2,000 each.
As she wipes her eyes with a tissue she tells the court she feels as though she "can’t trust anyone" anymore.
Charity thanks people for donations which were stolen by Bushpublished at 10:27 BST 30 July
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Referring to the money stolen by Bush, Sue Lockwood tells the court: "We knew nothing of the donations intended for us.
“I would like to say thank you now to those families for choosing Wishh.
"We are deeply saddened it will never benefit the patients it was intended for."

'Every single penny counts', charity worker tells courtpublished at 10:22 BST 30 July
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Sue Lockwood tells the court how donations fund her charity.
She speaks calmly, composed, and clearly.
Her words are a stark reminder of the impact of Bush’s theft of charities as she tells us "every single penny" counts.
Once again the court is hearing how Bush’s theft has harmed and tainted the relationship of trust people have in giving money to charities.
The judge thanks her for her statement.
Charity representative Sue Lockwood the first up to speakpublished at 10:19 BST 30 July
Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Two people are here in court to read their statements.
Sue Lockwood, who represents the charity Working Independently to Support Hull Hospitals (Wishh), is the fist to stand up.
The charity is one of those who didn’t receive money collected at funerals arranged by Bush.

Bush back in court as day four of hearing beginspublished at 10:19 BST 30 July
Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Robert Bush is back in court for what is likely to be the last day before he is sentenced to spend time in prison.
He’s wearing a dark coloured suit again.
Hearing beginspublished at 10:14 BST 30 July
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

The fourth day of the sentencing hearing into Robert Bush and Legacy Independent Funeral Directors has begun.
Judge Mr Justice Hilliard has just taken his seat.

Tears in courtroom before proceedings beginpublished at 10:13 BST 30 July
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

The church bells outside chime.
It’s an eerie distant sound which creeps into the courtroom.
A jarring reminder of the outside world, in a room which feels heavy and a world of its own.
In the public gallery one woman is crying before proceedings begin.
Sense of déjà vu in court after harrowing few dayspublished at 10:08 BST 30 July
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Inside courtroom four there’s a sense of déjà vu.
Familiar faces. Whether it be the legal teams, families or the press.
In the past four days, which have felt longer, there have been harrowing experiences heard before the court.
There is an undeniable sense of familiarity, whether it be the tissue boxes scattered around the public gallery, the court screens hung up around the room or the muted tone which surrounds us.