Robert Bush to face 63 charges
Almost 18 months after a “complex, protracted and highly sensitive ten-month investigation” was launched into concerns regarding the care of the deceased at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, its owner is today expected to enter pleas to more than 60 charges in connection with the enquiry.
They include 30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial and 30 counts of fraud by false representation in relation to the deceased recovered from the funeral premises.
These charges were alleged between April 20, 2023 and March 6, 2024, a hearing held at Hull Magistrates’ Court in June was told. Thirty of the charges alleged Bush had dishonestly made false representations to the family or friend of each deceased person.
That is, he would properly care for the remains of the deceased in accordance with the normal expected practices of a competent funeral director and arrange for the cremation of those remains to take place immediately or soon after the conclusion of the funeral service.
Each charge also said the fraud was alleged because the ashes presented to the customer were the remains of the deceased person after cremation, knowing that the same was, or might be, untrue or misleading, and intending thereby to make a gain for himself or cause loss to another contrary to section 1 and 2 of the Fraud Act 2006.
He also faces one further charge of fraud in relation to human ashes between August 1, 2017 and March 6, 2024, involving 50 people. Bush also faces one charge of fraudulent trading in relation to funeral plans between May 23, 2012 and March 6, 2024 involving 172 people. That charge related to carrying on the business of company with intent to defraud creditors for other fraudulent purposes.
The defendant is also accused of one count of theft from charities between September 1, 2017 and March 6, 2024, including Dove House Hospice and Working Independently Supporting Hull Hospitals (WISHH), The Salvation Army, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Cystics of Hull Independent Equipment Fund (CHIEF).