John sadly died of cancer in June 2023
Flowers laid in tribute outside a shuttered Legacy Funeral Directors in Hessle Road, Hull(Image: Hull Live )
On Friday, July 31 2026, Hull funeral director Robert Bush was jailed for 20 years.
The 48-year-old left bodies to decompose at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors’ premises in the city, gave bereaved families the ashes of other people and stole money donated from collections at funerals.The “horror” and revulsion felt by the families who had lost loved ones was revealed at Hull Crown Court during a series of powerful and harrowing victim statements during the first four days of the five-day sentencing hearing.
Over the coming weeks, we will be publishing those statements – from families who had cruelly been taken advantage of when they were at their most vulnerable. Their stories need to be told, and we will ensure that they are, for as long as it takes.
Meeting Robert Bush changed my life. I lost my partner of 28 years in June 2023 through cancer and it felt like I’d lost a part of me.
I used Legacy Funeral Directors on the recommendation of a friend and that’s when Rob Bush came into my life. I found the stress and upset of arranging a funeral for the love of my life absolutely devastating. Watching him go downhill so quickly through disease was hard enough but having to make such difficult decisions on my own whilst grieving was too much for me to bear.
Over time I was slowly coming to terms with my loss but when I had a knock on the door on the night of 11th March 2024 my world fell apart all over again. My partner, John, could be one of the bodies found at Legacy.
My John. In the place I’d laid him to rest so many months before. Eight months and 22 days to be precise. Having involvement with the police, waiting weeks for a formal identification. How could I trust anyone again? Rob promised me he’d look after John and he didn’t, not at all.
Over the last year I’ve had to go through a formal identification of John with the police, a second funeral and cremation and many communications with the police. I feel like I’ve let John down – by choosing Legacy, by trusting Rob Bush.
I just can’t believe what that man has done. How can he hurt people like that? Would he do it to his own family, treat them this way? An apology would not be enough for me. It could never take away the pain and grief that I feel for enduring not one but two funerals for my lovely John. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
I want Rob Bush to look me in the eyes and explain himself. I want him to know that I will never, ever, get over this.
Kathryn Howard