Summary

  • Warning: this case contains details that some may find distressing

  • Former funeral director Robert Bush betrayed grieving families "on an almost industrial scale", Hull Crown Court hears on the first day of his sentencing hearing

  • Bush, 48, from Otley, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to 67 offences including preventing the burials of 30 people and admitted giving families the wrong ashes from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull

  • "My lovely dad lay in a cardboard coffin for months. It feels like he was just forgotten," one victim tells the court

  • Speaking through floods of tears, another victim tells Bush he "turned our world upside down"

  • As he arrived in court this morning, Bush told reporters "I'm sorry" - but families say they are "appalled" he apologised to journalists but has never apologised to them

'I'm sorry', says funeral boss who gave families wrong ashes

Live Reporting

Edited by Jen Bateman, with Jessica Lane and Linsey Smith reporting from Hull Crown Court

  1. Gorbutt family statement calls for regulation of the funeral industry

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    David Gorbutt's statement is now read out by a lawyer and mentions the lack of regulation of the funeral industry.

    Ashes which he believed were his wife Susan's were scattered in the place where her son's had been, but it later transpired the ashes were not those of Susan Gorbutt.

    The judge in court asks the lawyers about this now.

    We know that this is something the families want to hear more about. Many outside court were holding QR codes which link to a petition which has been started calling on the government to regulate the industry

  2. Son says knowing mum lay in premises for almost eight months 'destroys me'

    Eleanor Maslin
    BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

    Byron Lill told the court he drives past the Legacy premises to work "every day".

    "Knowing now that Mum was laying inside for almost eight months destroys me. I was physically so close to her.

    "Knowing she was still laying there when Bush smiled and handed me a box, he said were her ashes, when she was still only a matter of feet from me, I just can’t accept."

    Lill's mother, Muriel Winning, died after a "courageous battle with cancer", he told the court.

    He went on to say: "She protected us her whole life from mistreatment, and it feels that the one time I could repay her and protect her, I couldn’t.

    "Bush took this away from me."

  3. Families comforting each other on packed court benches

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    Ten benches are full of family members here in court.

    Several family representatives are going back to take their place on the bench after delivering their statements to hear the next people speak.

    On the benches, people are comforting each other

    In the dock, Bush is now sitting with his head lowered so we can't see his face.

    But I've seen some family members turning round in court to try and get a glimpse of him

  4. Victim's daughter says smile on Bush's face 'will always haunt me'

    Eleanor Maslin
    BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

    A statement has been read in court on behalf of Karen King in relation to using the funeral service for her father, 94-year-old Norman Bridger.

    The statement reads: “I felt grateful to dad that he had arranged a funeral plan so we did not have to worry about payment, but even this would be a lie.

    “I feel so cheated for him. Bush just took advantage of him, keeping the money for himself."

    King, who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer when her father died, adds in the statement: "My lovely dad lay in a cardboard coffin for months. It feels he was just forgotten."

    The statement concludes: "I gave Robert Bush a bottle of port to thank him for taking care of dad.

    "The smile on his face as he accepted will always haunt me."

  5. ‘Bush turned our world upside down’

    Through floods of tears, Christina George read out her personal victim statement after the body of her brother, Raymond Dagnall, who was a fisherman, was found “left on a rack wearing a soiled hospital gown and still with hospital tubes in his body”.

    George thought she had scattered the ashes of her brother at Bridlington Harbour, as per her brother’s wishes.

    She told the court the discovery had made “me feel sick and the hairs prickle on the back of my neck”.

    “He [Bush] turned our world upside down. I really want him to know that. There can never be a good enough reason for what he has done. Why?”

  6. Family members speak of how hard it is to walk past Legacy building

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    As every person stands up in court to speak about the impact Bush has had on them, other people in court are crying and wiping away tears.

    Bush seems to be showing no emotion as he watches and listens to what people have to say about what he has done to them and the way it is still affecting their mental health.

    Many family members live and work near the Legacy building on Hessle Road and have spoken about how hard it is for them to have to walk past even to this day, knowing what happened to their loved ones inside the building.

  7. Judge tells families guilt is not their responsibility

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    The judge has told Christina George he thinks her brother would be proud of her and checks she has someone with her in court.

    As she sits down, people can be heard crying and more tissues have been passed around among the families sitting here in court.

    The judge then comments with apparent sympathy to the court that he has noticed that many of the family members here have spoken of how guilty they feel.

    He points out that it's not their responsibility, but it's clearly a feeling shared by many of the victims here in court.

  8. Judge tells victim's sister to take her time

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    This week in court is about the families having their say.

    Several so far this morning have chosen to stand up in court and tell everyone - including Bush himself - how they have been affected by what happened.

    Christina George has had to keep stopping as she is very emotional.

    She has apologised several times and the judge has told her to take her time.

  9. Victims felt they let their loved ones down, court told

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    Christina George, sister of Raymond Dagnall, is reading her statement out.

    As she begins to talk about her brother, she has to pause as she becomes emotional.

    She is crying and keeps apologising to the court.

    George tells the court that she trusted Bush.

    She and Byron Lill, who spoke earlier, have said they felt they let their loved ones down by using Legacy Independent Funeral Directors once they found out what had been happening.

  10. Victim's son pauses several times while reading statement out

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    Byron Lill had to pause at times when he read his statement out. Several people in court are wiping tears from their eyes and one stood up and walked out while Lill spoke.

    The judge in this sentencing hearing is interrupting the lawyer speaking every now and then.

    He is trying to make sure he is clear of the details.

    He just checked in with Lill that his wife is here in court with him after he became clearly distressed when he was reading out his statement.

  11. People in court crying as victim's son reads his statement

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    Byron Lill is speaking to the court now. His voice is cracking as he talks about his mum, Muriel Winning.

    "She protected us our whole lives and I couldn't repay her," he says.

    Someone in the public gallery is now audibly crying and others are wiping their eyes with tissues. Several people in court can be heard crying as Lill reads out his statement.

    Robert Bush is staring in front of himself or looking down as many people in court are crying or shaking their heads as they listen.

    He seems to be showing no emotion.

  12. Victim's partner says apology from Bush 'would not be enough for me'

    Eleanor Maslin
    BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

    A victim statement has been read out in court by Kathryn Howard, who used Legacy Funeral Directors after her partner, John, died from cancer.

    She says she was recommended the funeral company by a friend and her "world fell apart all over again" when she found out his body could be one of those involved in the investigation.

    She tells the court: “I was left not able to sleep, not eating properly, depressed and anxious over everything.

    "How could I trust anyone again?"

    Howard adds: "When I'm alone at night I think constantly, picturing John in that place when he should have been resting in peace.

    "I feel like I've let John down - by choosing Legacy, by trusting Rob Bush."

    She says an apology "would not be enough for me" and wanted Bush to know that she will "never, ever, get over this".

  13. People hold tissues and clutch at each other's hands as family statements read out

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    Bush is staring ahead as the barrister has started to read out statements on behalf of the families he has affected.

    At one point, he looked down but is mainly staring straight ahead.

    In the public gallery, many people are holding tissues. Others are clutching each other's hands.

    One man's leg is constantly moving up and down while the court listens to details of what Bush has done.

  14. Bush's sentencing expected to last at least five days

    Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC previously told the court that up to 240 victim impact statements relating to the former funeral director’s conduct would be provided to the court prior to today's sentencing hearing.

    He said that the fraudulent trading related to funeral plans involving "over 150 individuals".

    The sentencing hearing of Robert Bush is expected to last at least five days.

    Bush previously admitted 67 offences, including 30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial.

    Robert Bush points his head down while surrounded by press. He is wearing a dark suit, baseball cap and face covering.PA Media

    Bush arrives at court on Monday morning

  15. Bush told police he had 'cash flow issues' at funeral business, court hears

    Eleanor Maslin
    BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

    The court hears that Bush told police in an interview on 11 March 2024 that he had "only employed casual workers" and had cash flow issues at his funeral business.

    He had also explained to police during the interview that he "had no system of identifying where bodies were placed at Hessle Road as he had personally retained this information", prosecution tells the court.

  16. Bush 'sought to downplay' state of his premises, prosecution tells court

    Linsey Smith
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    Bush denied that he ever told casual Legacy worker Patrick Moore to turn off refrigeration. He said that there were two units and only one needed to be turned on.

    "He had sought to downplay the state of his premises" in interviews, the prosecution says of Bush.

  17. Bush saved money by not running all refrigeration units, court told

    Jessica Lane
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    The prosecution says Bush admitted he had been having issues with refrigeration and saved money by not running all the units.

  18. Body was found on stretcher on the floor, court is told

    Linsey Smith
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    Families are weeping in the public gallery as the prosecution are outlining how the bodies were found, including how one body was found on a stretcher on the floor.

    There was also a sealed coffin on the floor. The area was dirty and unkempt. Flowers, rings and teddies and cards with messages had been swept to the sides on the floor.

  19. Watch: Moment Bush was arrested on holiday flight

    Robert Bush was arrested at Heathrow Airport on his return from the United States in March 2024.

    Bush was arrested on an aircraft at Heathrow Airport after he arrived home from a holiday in the United States in March 2024.

    He had flown to Los Angeles to watch motorcycle racing, one of his hobbies.

    Bush had bought a number of racing bikes and splashed out on expensive track days, often posting videos of his lap times on social media.

    When Bush was in the US, Humberside Police were contacted about the conditions at the Legacy building in Hull.

  20. Bush on holiday when he contacted funeral directors to help remove body, court told

    Linsey Smith
    Reporting from Hull Crown Court

    Christopher Paxton KC, prosecuting, is outlining how the situation at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors came to light.

    Bush was on holiday in the United States on 6 March.

    While on holiday, Bush contacted Evergreen Funeral Directors to ask them to remove a body from a care home in Bourne Street, Hull.

    Mr Pickering and Mr Emerson, from Evergreen, were told by Patrick Moore, a casual worker for Legacy, "you don't know the half of it."

    He said bodies had been in there for years. Moore described it as "something of a horror scene".