Victims of disgraced funeral boss 'unable to get refunds'

Robert Bush's sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court has heard from more than a hundred families

Some victims of disgraced undertaker Robert Bush have not been refunded for fake funeral plans he sold them, a court has heard.

The 48-year-old defrauded 172 people over 11 years to the tune of £562,000, Hull Crown Court was told.

He previously admitted 67 offences in relation to his business, Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, including failing to bury and cremate people, theft from 12 charities, fraudulent trading in funeral plans, and fraud.

On the fourth day of his sentencing hearing, one woman said her parents, who paid £2,649 each for funeral plans, were not alive "to see the justice they deserved". Another said she had not been refunded £5,000 for two policies.

This story contains details some might find distressing.

Wiping her eyes with a tissue, Maxine Hill told Mr Justice Hilliard the bank refused to refund the money fraudulently taken by Bush, whom Hill knew personally.

Bush visited both her parents, Margaret and John, in their own home and issued a handwritten receipt to her mother who paid him in cash.

The bank initially refunded the amount paid by Hill's father but 90 days later, the bank took the money back saying "there was no evidence that he hadn't received a product", the court heard.

Both have since died - Margaret in May 2024 and John in June 2025.

The faces of the victims whose bodies and ashes were recovered from Legacy's premises in 2024

"I tried to shield and protect them from what Bush has done, but it upset them both greatly. You would honestly think that butter wouldn't melt in his mouth," said their daughter.

"He came across as being just so nice and so placid.

"It hurts me to think that he could go and visit my parents knowing he was going to do this to them after knowing me personally."

Sobbing, she also told the court she was left worrying if she "even has my husband's ashes", having paid Bush to provide cremation services.

The court heard just under £60,000 had so far been refunded to those who bought the fake plans and Hill might also receive a refund due to the publicity of the case.

On Thursday, Bush sat with his head lowered behind the glass-fronted dock as statements made by some of the people who lost their money to his fraudulent funeral plans were read out.

The court heard Anne Hillerby was told by Bush he would "knock off £100 for paying in cash" when she was charged "around £5,000" for two plans.

"We have since found out the plans are not in place and I have not received a refund due to paying in cash," her statement said.

"Robert Bush has ripped off so many vulnerable people. I can't believe he could do this to people.

"He has used lower prices to get the customers in then ripped them off."

The judge heard some victims had other savings and the plans had been intended as a safety net to save their children from worrying about their funeral costs.

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Bush pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including 30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial, theft from 12 charities, and one of fraudulent trading relating to funeral plans between 2012 and 2024.

He also admitted a further charge of fraud relating to the ashes of 57 people between 2017 and 2024, and four "foetus allegations" of fraud, where he presented ashes to women claiming were "the remains of their unborn".

In mitigation on Wednesday, his barrister Richard Wright KC said Bush offered an apology and accepted his conduct "tainted the memory of every person who has passed through his hands".

He said Bush did "not seek in any way to minimise what he has done".

Robert Bush "suffered public humiliation" because of his criminal conduct, his barrister said on Wednesday

Bush's crimes were discovered by chance while he was on holiday, following a tip-off from two funeral directors from a different firm.

On Monday, the prosecution outlined how police discovered a "horror scene" at the funeral home, with bodies "on the racks" of a cold storage area and one on a stretcher on the floor.

The court heard Bush, 48, of Otley in West Yorkshire, was arrested when he landed at Heathrow Airport days later, and told police he had debts of about £90,000.

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