A hearing took place at Hull Crown Court on Wednesday morning
The owner of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors has appeared in court but has not yet entered pleas to the more than 60 charges he faces including 30 counts of preventing a lawful burial. Robert Bush, 47, formerly of Kirk Ella but now of Otley, near Leeds, appeared at Hull Crown Court on Wednesday (August 13) for a plea, trial and preparation hearing, where he was expected to enter pleas to 65 counts.
It comes after a ten-month investigation, previously described by Humberside Police as “comprehensive and lengthy”, into the funeral business which had two branches in Hull and one in Beverley. Ashes and 35 bodies were removed from Legacy‘s Hessle Road premises during the investigation. In July 2024, officers confirmed they had identified more than 160 families linked to the recovered ashes.
Mr Bush faces 30 counts of preventing a lawful burial and 30 counts of fraud by false representation in relation to bodies found at the Legacy’s Hessle Road site. He is also charged with two counts of fraud by false representation, fraudulent trading in relation to funeral plans, another count of fraud by false representation, and a charge of alleged theft from a number of charities including The Salvation Army, Macmillan Cancer Support, CHIEF, the Dogs Trust, Dove House, Help for Heroes, Maister Lodge, Oakwood Dog Rescue, RNLI, Sailors Children’s Charity, WISHH and Hull Fishing Heritage Charity.
Mr Bush appeared at the busy court at 10am on Wednesday. He was wearing a dark-grey suit, paired with a white shirt and a coloured tie.
Large numbers had gathered to watch the hearing. Five camera crews and reporters from TV stations, news websites and papers stood watch outside the court building alongside nine officers from Humberside Police. Another two kept watch outside courtroom one. About 200 people, mainly from bereaved families, were believed to be watching and listening to the court proceedings over a video link.
Mr Bush was accompanied in the dock by a single officer and confirmed his identity to the clerk. He was addressed by His Honour Judge Thackray KC who told him he was not required to enter pleas, and that a further plea, trial and preparation hearing would be listed. It was stated that the defence was not in a position to proceed due to a large number of papers relating to the case.
Judge Thackray told Bush: “You need to cooperate with your legal team and assist them because, on the next occasion, you will be required to enter pleas of either guilty or not guilty. You can have bail on the same conditions as before.”
He added: “Make sure you’re here in good time on the 15th. You may go.”
Mr Bush will next appear in court on Wednesday, October 15 at 2pm with an estimated hearing length of around two hours. He was bailed and released from the dock as the short hearing came to an end.
Victim Support continues to be available for anyone affected by the incident. If you require support, you can contact them by calling 0808 28 111 36.