UK - Two arrested, 34 bodies removed during investigation into funeral directors, Hull, 10 March 2024

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Two arrested in Hull funeral directors investigation

Police say a 46-year-old man and 23-year-old woman have been arrested.

www.bbc.co.uk

Two people have been arrested and 34 bodies removed from a funeral directors in Hull which police are investigating.
A man of 46 and woman of 23 were arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position, Humberside Police said.
Police said the deceased had now been transported from one of Legacy Funeral Directors' branches to a Hull mortuary.
A cordon remains in place at all three premises.
Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said: "As part of our investigation, as of today we can confirm 34 deceased people have now been respectfully transported from Legacy Funeral Directors based on Hessle Road to the mortuary in Hull for formal identification procedures to take place."
He added that affected families continued to be supported by family liaison officers and that the thoughts of Humberside Police were with them, particularly on Mother's Day.

A dedicated phone line remains open and has received more than 350 calls from members of the public since Friday, police added.
"Each call we receive is being carefully handled and delicately assessed by a specialist team to ensure we have a thorough understanding of each family's circumstances," ACC McLoughlin said.
"We will get back to each and every one of you as soon as we can.
"Please be reassured that my staff and officers are working around the clock to deal with the unprecedented enquiries generated as a result of this incident."
Humberside Police said it had received a report on Wednesday of "concern for care of the deceased".
Legacy Funeral Directors has branches in Hessle Road and Anlaby Road, both in Hull, as well as Beckside in Beverley.

 

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The owner of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Ltd is Robert James Bush, who is 46 years old and is clearly the man who has been arrested.

LEGACY INDEPENDENT FUNERAL DIRECTORS LTD people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

LEGACY INDEPENDENT FUNERAL DIRECTORS LTD - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

Here is his Facebook profile:

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Bush advertised a mortuary fridge on Facebook marketplace last year.

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[Vaderman]

This seems to happen far more frequently than it should. A relative of mine volunteers for a local cemetery and the rules/regulations they have to follow for services are rigid.

It has to be a very systemic problem with a lot of complicit folks for it to be such a frequent occurring crime.

 

[Amonet]

This seems to happen far more frequently than it should. A relative of mine volunteers for a local cemetery and the rules/regulations they have to follow for services are rigid.

It has to be a very systemic problem with a lot of complicit folks for it to be such a frequent occurring crime.

I don't understand exactly what is being alleged here? I do imagine it's extremely distressing for the family members of the deceased who are now caught up in whatever this is.

 

[Skigh]

I am wondering if they have tried to take on too many funerals and mortuary facilities cannot cope so they have tried makeshift arrangements.

 

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Been looking at Robert Bush's Facebook marketplace listings a bit more and he's advertised multiple vehicles and parts on there, all photographed in the back of the Hessle Road branch, in some of the listings you can see the mortuary fridge I posted previously in the background. Looks like he was also using the area he stores dead bodies in as a workshop for his bikes and cars, very disturbing.

Bush is clearly involved in motorcycle racing, with his daughter also involved in the sport (she is likely to be the 23 year old arrested). He currently has two Kawasaki track bikes listed for sale, photographed in front of the shutters of the Hessle Road branch and in one of the photographs you can clearly see a hearse in the background.

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Here's a Land Rover Defender restoration project he was selling, photographed next to the mortuary fridge I posted previously.

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[Skigh]

Funeral parlour at centre of probe on the brink of financial ruin

EXCLUSIVE: Legacy Independent Funeral Service's accounts are currently overdue and the company has received its fifth public warning that it faces a 'compulsory strike-off'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

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Funeral parlour at centre of probe on the brink of financial ruin

EXCLUSIVE: Legacy Independent Funeral Service's accounts are currently overdue and the company has received its fifth public warning that it faces a 'compulsory strike-off'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

This could also just be a case of them missing the deadlines for filing their accounts though. Seems quite common for small businesses on Companies House to have strike off warnings. They also opened their third branch quite recently and Bush clearly has a decent amount of disposable income with the bikes etc.

 

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Grieving daughter's 'living nightmare' as 34 bodies moved from funeral parlour

Two people have been arrested in relation to an investigation into Legacy Independent Funeral Directors

www.examinerlive.co.uk

<modsnip - social media posts by members of the public are off limits>

 

[Skigh]

Pictured: Father and daughter who own funeral firm at centre of probe

EXCLUSIVE: Photos showing the company's boss Robert Bush, who heads up a family business, and his employee daughter Saskya Bush together in uniform have emerged.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

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Saskya Bush's Instagram accounts

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[Silverlink]

Two arrested remain in custody​

It is understood the man and woman arrested remain in police custody at this time.
A spokesperson for Humberside Police has said a further update will be provided tomorrow morning.

Funeral directors police probe latest as man and woman in custody

Officers have been seen outside several branches of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors

www.examinerlive.co.uk

 

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Hull funeral directors inquiry: Police return to site

Police removed 34 bodies from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull with two people arrested.

www.bbc.co.uk

Anyone have any idea why a maritime protection unit is involved in the investigation?

 

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Family given ‘stepfather’s ashes’ fear police have found his body at funeral parlour

Officers remove 34 bodies from business amid concerns over the way they have been stored

www.telegraph.co.uk

Paywalled, but you get the idea.

 

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Daughter 'wants answers' after Hull funeral home investigation

Billie-Jo Suffill says she never received her dad's ashes from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors

www.bbc.co.uk

 

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Bereaved families fear ashes may not belong to their dead loved ones

Relatives who hired Legacy Independent Funeral Directors have been kept in the dark about details of the growing investigation that has involved the removal of 34 bodies.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

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Families fear loved ones' bodies 'were in mortuary when they were given ashes'

Police took action after reports of concern for care of the deceased. Legacy Independent Funeral Directors. Some 34 bodies have so far been removed and taken to a nearby mortuary

www.mirror.co.uk

"Sources say the parlour was targeted after an undercover sting."

 

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Hull funeral directors branding removed from Beverley branch

Officers investigating Legacy Independent Funeral Directors have made two arrests

www.hulldailymail.co.uk

 

[elliefant]

With pet cremations for a standard fee they cremate several animals together and the ashes they give you are a mix of various animal ashes. If you pay extra they will do an individual cremation for your pet so that the ashes are only from your pet.

Thinking about that made me wonder if these people have been cutting corners by cremating more than one person at a time (if the oven is big enough) to save themselves money. It was the articles about customers wondering whose ashes they have that made me wonder this.

 

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https://twitter.com/x/status/1767554253298475504