LONDON (Reuters) -A British funeral director on Wednesday pleaded guilty to more than 30 charges of fraud after a police investigation into human remains at his business, including some charges relating to unborn babies.
Robert Bush appeared at Hull Crown Court and admitted 35 charges relating to dishonestly telling the families and friends of the deceased that he would provide proper care for their remains and arrange for their cremation between April 2023 and March 2024.
Four of the charges to which he entered guilty pleas related to unborn babies, and stated that he had dishonestly made false representations that “the ashes presented to the customer were the remains of their unborn knowing that the same was, or might be, untrue or misleading”.
The 47-year-old also pleaded guilty to a charge of fraudulent trading, and a general fraud charge relating to his business, Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, northern England.
He pleaded not guilty to 30 charges of preventing a lawful and decent burial, and a charge of theft involving stealing money from numerous charities. He will face trial over those offences in October next year.
Bush was charged earlier this year after concerns were raised about the care of the deceased at his funeral business.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin and Michael Holden; editing by William James)
