A daughter whose father’s body was left inside a filthy funeral home while the undertaker falsely told relatives he had been cremated has told a court the grim scenes uncovered there brought to mind “bodies found in Auschwitz”.
Robert Bush, 48, is facing sentence after admitting or being convicted of 67 offences linked to the unlawful and indecent handling of 30 bodies, as well as defrauding bereaved families who had paid him to arrange funeral services.
The court was told he also took money from charity donation boxes set up at funerals by grieving relatives, including collections intended for Macmillan Cancer Support and Help for Heroes.
Hull Crown Court has heard how Bush stored bodies at his Legacy Independent Funeral Directors premises in Hull while continuing to accept payments from families already devastated by loss.
In many cases, prosecutors said, relatives were later handed ashes that did not belong to the person they had entrusted to his care.
On the second day of an extraordinary five-day sentencing hearing, arranged so as many of Bush’s 226 identified victims as possible could address him in person, Tina Thames spoke about the treatment of her adoptive father, Jim Porter.
Mr Porter died in January 2024 at the age of 80. His funeral took place on February 2 through Legacy, with Bush assuring the family that his cremation would happen either later that day or early the following morning.
But Ms Thames said alarm bells rang during the service when she noticed the coffin appeared too small for Mr Porter, who had broad shoulders. She also thought it looked flimsy and cheap, as if it had been made from plywood.
When Legacy was raided by police in March 2024 following a tip-off from a member of staff who told a separate funeral business that bodies had been on the premises ‘for years’, Mr Porter’s body was found.
A court artist drawing of funeral director Robert Bush in the dock at Hull Crown Court where he is being sentenced for 67 offences
Bush arrived at the court on Monday morning wearing a scarf over his face. He was later remanded into custody
His hospital identification bands were still on his wrists and ankle.
In a victim impact statement, Ms Thames told the court: ‘When Dad adopted us, he gave us the gift of a good life. This was our chance to repay that gift.
‘This was the last thing I could do for him. I trusted Robert Bush to help us fulfil this. His office was full of thank you cards. I even considered sending him a card myself.
‘I feel deceived by him. It was all a sham. When the police told me there was a possibility that Dad was still at Legacy, I was devastated.
‘I had nightmares and thoughts of bodies, just piled up, came into my mind. The only way I can describe it is like seeing images of the bodies found in Auschwitz during [World War Two].
‘My mind felt in overdrive. The thought of what was happening there is horrific and so difficult to fully understand.’
As well as the bodies found at Legacy, the court heard Bush committed fraud in relation to 57 sets of ashes – including 46 families who were given the wrong ashes, and 11 families who were never given any at all.
Prosecutor Chris Paxton KC said the total monetary value of this fraud was £86,868.
The court has already heard there was an ‘element of profligate personal spending’, with Bush paying almost £900,000 paid to his wife, Vikki.
More than £3million was paid into Bush’s business and personal accounts between 2017 and 2024, however this did not reflect the turnover reported to HMRC.
Jim Porter’s body was recovered from Legacy’s premises in March 2024. His daughter, Tina Thames, outlined her heartbreak
Kadie Laws, the daughter of Darren Laws (pictured), told the court she was suffering from nightmares and PTSD
Kadie Laws, whose father Darren Laws’ ashes were recovered from Legacy, sobbed throughout the reading of her statement.
She recalled suffering from nightmares and PTSD.
She said that when it became clear she may not have her father’s ashes, ‘my head went… and I started getting flashbacks.’
She said she had one vivid hallucination of her father running down the street and being accosted by Bush who then dragged him around.
‘My dad looked terrible in this hallucination,’ she added. ‘He was all yellow with cuts and bruises all over him. Robert Bush looked exactly the same as he did when I saw him. It was terrifying.’
Jasmine Beverley trusted Bush with the cremation of her son, Sunny, who was born stillborn at 18 weeks.
When Legacy was raided, his body was found in a brown envelope.
Jasmine Beverley trusted Bush with the cremation of her son, Sunny, who was born stillborn at 18 weeks
She tearfully told the court: ‘My son Sunny was born sleeping, but he was loved long before he entered this world and he will be loved for the rest of my life.
‘When a parent loses a baby, all they hope for is that their child will be treated with dignity, care and respect.
‘That is why we place enormous trust in the people responsible for caring for our loved ones after death.’ Turning to face Bush in the dock, who showed no emotion, she added: ‘I trusted you with the most precious person in my life.’
The judge, Mr Justice Hilliard, is due to pass sentence on Friday. Bush has been remanded into custody.
