A British funeral director is facing a possible prison sentence after investigators discovered 31 bodies that had not been cremated as promised, while grieving families were given ashes belonging to other people.

The sentencing hearing began on Monday at Hull Crown Court in northeast England, following a case that has sparked renewed calls for stricter regulation of the funeral industry.

Police Discover Bodies and Ashes

Prosecutor Chris Paxton told the court that former employee Robert Bush’s funeral home resembled “something from a horror scene.”

During a police search of the premises, officers found 31 bodies in a cold storage facility that should have been cremated months earlier. Among them was the body of a stillborn baby that had remained there for nearly two years.

“There were bodies stored on the racks on both sides of the room,” the prosecutor said.

“The vast majority were uncovered and in varying states of decomposition,” he added.

Police also recovered more than 100 sets of ashes from the funeral home.

Funeral Director Admitted 67 Offences

Bush, 48, who operated Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, previously pleaded guilty to 67 offences committed over a 12-year period, affecting hundreds of victims.

According to Paxton, Bush had earned the trust of bereaved families but ultimately mistreated them on “an almost industrial scale.”

Police launched their investigation in March 2024 after receiving information raising concerns about the handling of the deceased at the business.

The five-day sentencing hearing is expected to include victim impact statements from more than 100 people.

Bush has admitted multiple offences, including preventing lawful and decent burial, theft and fraud.

Four of the fraud charges relate to falsely presenting ashes to women as the remains of their unborn children.

Mother Describes Discovery as ‘Distressing’

One of the victims, Jasmine Beverley, whose son Sunny was stillborn in May 2022, said Bush had appeared “lovely” and came across as “very respectful.”

“It was a shock to learn what had actually been going on behind the closed doors,” she told BBC radio.

Beverley said she had believed her son’s body had been cremated, only to later discover his remains inside a brown envelope on the floor of the funeral home.

“I discovered that he was still in there almost two years after we’d had the funeral,” she said, describing the revelation as “distressing.”

She, her husband and several other affected families are now campaigning for stronger regulation of funeral parlours to prevent similar incidents.