Warning: this case involves distressing details
"Greed and incompetence" likely played a role in the actions of a former funeral director who failed to bury and cremate dozens of people, his barrister says
Robert Bush, 48, is being sentenced for 67 offences, including denying 30 people a decent and proper burial, and fraud charges relating to presenting families with the ashes of strangers
While his sentencing will occur later this week, there have been gasps and cries at Hull Crown Court as his crimes are detailed
An expert who analysed ashes that should have belonged to a baby says some of the ashes appeared to come from an adult - the infant's mother earlier described Bush's actions "as lowest of the low"
Another woman tells the court she will "never know for sure if I have mum's ashes or not"
Prosecutors have also set out how donations collected at funerals were never passed on to the intended charities
Bush's barrister says his client has "heard the human cost of what he has done", and has accepted responsibility and apologised
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
The court has now risen for the day.
It will be back tomorrow at 10:00 BST.
But we'll continue to bring you the remaining victim statements from this afternoon's session.
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Judge Mr Justice Hilliard is addressing the court now.
He outlines some of the main points he has understood from the victim statements this afternoon.
He says: "People feel very deceived, shocked when they heard the news. Funeral plans were very important to them.
"Kindly they feel sorry for people who actually had funerals and are not sure what they are left with."
Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court
We’ve been listening to more personal statements this afternoon here in court.
Some have been people affected by the loss of charity donations
Others thought they’d bought funeral plans from Bush but have found out those plans don’t exist.
People who’ve lost money and now have to find more to pay for another funeral are expressing sympathy to the other families involved in this case.
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
"This individual has reached a new low in society," says Pearl Carrier, in a statement read out in court.
She says she is now "financially out of pocket for the sum of £1,799," after taking out a funeral plan with Legacy.
"I am now delaying any new thoughts of making funeral plans because this man has placed serious doubts in my mind over the honesty and integrity of funeral companies," the statement reads.
Carrier describes Bush as "a vile human being".
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Sandra Baker prepaid for her funeral plan with Legacy but discovered as part of the police investigation "there was no record" of it.
"I became anxious and got palpitations and my breathing was bad. On the Monday night, I had nightmares.
"The next day, my asthma was out of control, and I was worried, and I had to get the paramedics.
"I think the shock had got to me, and my son was abroad and knew nothing about what was going on," the statement reads.
She says Bush had "come across as a lovely man", but it's "clear now this was just an act and he deceived everyone".
"What Robert Bush did to those people whose loved ones were not looked after properly was disgusting.
"I do think about them often. Yes, I have lost money, but I got it back.
"They will be thinking about this for a long time if not forever," the statement reads.
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
A statement has been given on behalf of Helen Perring Dobbs, representing Chief, a local charity in Hull and East Yorkshire supporting people with cystic fibrosis.
"By taking money from a charity such as ours, it means we may have to say no to a request coming in from a parent wanting help.
"We may have to say no to an adult wanting us to help with the cost of treatment."
Dobbs adds that taking money intended for use by the charity can "therefore greatly impact many people who already face challenges living with a life-limiting condition".
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Marion Ainsworth, in a statement read out on her behalf, says her father paid Robert Bush £3,000 which he believed was going towards his funeral plan.
She says the family also used Legacy Independent Funeral Directors for her mother's funeral, and her father is "still suffering from repercussions" after finding out about the investigation into the funeral company.
"Because my mum's funeral was through Legacy at the beginning of January 2019, he worries that she wasn't cared for professionally and blames himself for choosing Legacy as the funeral provider.
"This is the biggest cause of distress to him.
"He still avoids passing the premises on Hessle Road and Anlaby High Road, if possible as this is also painful reminder", her statement reads.
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Another statement has been made by a charity, this time read out on behalf of Lee Duddridge, representing Macmillan Cancer Support.
Duddridge says the statement is made "following the admission of guilt by the defendant to a charge of theft".
The statement reads: "For every penny stolen, those people that need Macmillan's help may not be able to receive it."
It adds: "The impact of this case extends far beyond mere financial losses.
"This case represents one of the most serious and highly publicised criminal acts suffered by Macmillan and many others in the 10 years since the inception of the counter fraud team and the detrimental effect on public confidence in charitable giving is accordingly significant."
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court
The atmosphere inside court room four at Hull Crown Court is heavy as we move through the afternoon.
Statement after statement is being read out describing victims' experiences.
Every now and again a sigh will be heard, or in the case of graphic details, a gasp.
The mood is sombre and consistently upsetting for those sitting in the public gallery.
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Caszandra Long used Legacy for her father's funeral, and in a statement read on her behalf described the funeral director's premises on Hessle Road as "like sitting inside a caravan, it was small and inadequate".
"We had to shuffle into the room to see my dad, where he was laid out on a decorator’s pasting table," the statement adds.
Long thought the money donated at her father's funeral service would be going to Macmillan Cancer Support.
She described it as "disgusting beyond words" that the charity money was taken by Bush.
"I find it overwhelming to even think about how someone could do this," the statement adds.
"People are desperate for answers."
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Lisa Youlton, in a statement read on her behalf, says she is "disgusted that the charity collection money was not given to Dove House Hospice".
She used Legacy for her mother when she died.
She says she had trusted Bush to send the charity collection money to Dove House Hospice, which had been "very close to my mum's heart".
"Because of everything that has happened I have struggled with feelings of doubt over the ashes we received.
"I also feel deeply for the other families who have been affected and what they must be going through."
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
A statement was read out on behalf of Jayne Waudby who used Legacy for her son Matthew Craig, who died aged 30.
Waudby says Bush "wouldn't let me see him to say our final goodbyes", which is something that "haunts" the family "every day".
She says Matthew wanted all proceeds from his funeral collection, which more than 100 people attended, to go to Dove House Hospice, where he had spent his last three weeks.
"There must have easily been well over £500 in cash and others donated online which went straight to Dove House.
"It was left to Robert Bush to sort and send Matthew's donations on as he was paid to do so at this very distressing time, which we trusted him to do."
Waudby's statement goes on to say: "No money was forwarded to Dove House Hospice."
"Robert Bush has caused so much unnecessary suffering to add to this very traumatic time of losing a very much-loved family member."
"Words cannot describe his vile and deliberate actions," the statement reads.
Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court
We have heard a broad range of topics discussed in court today.
This morning we heard about Bush’s spending habits and expensive hobbies, then to graphic details about the way people’s bodies were treated at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, then to hearing Bush’s own barrister talk about how "greed and incompetence" were likely to have played a role in Bush's behaviour.
We are now hearing again from more victims of Bush’s crimes.
That’s included charities which didn’t receive donations left at funerals and the family members of those whose funerals Bush had been responsible for.
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
A statement has been read out on behalf of Emma Hamilton, from the Dogs Trust charity.
It reads: "We care deeply about every donation, so knowing there could be people out there who felt hurt by our lack of response is truly upsetting for us."
She says as a result of this, they "could have lost out on future donations" which are "valuable" to the charity.
Prosecutors earlier said donations collected at funerals were never passed on to the intended charities.
Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court
We’ve been hearing today about the charity donations which were made at some funerals and the 12 charities which say they didn’t receive the money intended for them.
It’s been pointed out that often collecting for a charity is a person’s final wish and so mourners try hard to find a donation to leave in their memory.
It has been described as devastating by people in court that the money, and their loved one’s final wishes, weren’t honoured.
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Maryjane Roberts is now reading her victim statement through tears, on behalf of her mother who she used the funeral directors for.
At the time, Roberts says she felt like Bush had gone "above and beyond for her and made us feel like he loved his job so much that mum was like family to him".
She says she had even given Bush a card containing £150 as a thank you to him for "everything he had done for us".
When she heard the news about the investigation, she says she "felt sick about how stupid I'd been".
She adds: "He said bless you all the time and it felt sincere when he said this but it obviously wasn’t.
"I will never know for sure if I have mum’s ashes or not.
"We had jewellery made of mum’s ashes and I can no longer bring myself to wear it in case it’s not mum."
She says money which was meant to go to Macmillan Cancer Support also was never received.
"It was never about the amount of money, it was about what the money meant. Not just to me, but to mum."
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court
As the second victim impact statement of the afternoon is read out Bush continues to keep his head low and avoid the gaze of the room.
This afternoon we’ve also heard from his defence team, who say he is sorry and accepts blame.
One victim says she is envious of families who have had burials and cremations performed correctly.
As she ends her statement, she glances at Bush, who looks up to meet her eyes. It’s brief, but they catch each others gaze.
Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Karen Jones is now reading out her victim impact statement to the court.
She used Legacy Independent Funeral Directors to provide services for her mother as well as her uncle David.
She says: "I still have my uncle David’s ashes. I’m unsure what to do with them, my whole family is unsure.
"This could be someone else's loved one that we have and it makes me question who it is.
"I'm angry with Robert Bush. What should have been a very sacred and dignified process has become a source of deep pain."
She says she was also left disturbed over what happened to the collection money at her mother's funeral, which was supposed to go to an animal charity.
"It has left me feeling appalled that something like this could happen.
"They were not just casual donations, they were part of their last wishes."
Jones says it felt like "a violation of her [her mother's] memory".
Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court
For the last half hour or so the court has been hearing from Bush’s defence lawyer about why he did what he did.
The court heard that he acknowledges the pain he has caused, and he was described as having been "publicly humiliated".
Families have been saying in their statements that they wanted to hear from Bush and find out why he committed these crimes.
Bush has so far only spoken in court to confirm his name, on Monday.
Sarah-May Buccieri
Reporting from Hull Crown Court
The defence say they want a "just" but "grounded approach" to sentencing.
Bush remains looking forward for this section while his defence barrister Richard Wright KC is speaking.
Bush rarely glances to his right - where the families, the public and press are sitting.
But people in that part of court are looking at him.
