WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: Robert Bush, of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, is facing sentencing for more than 65 offences, with victims whose loved ones' remains were mistreated sharing harrowing statements in court10:20, 28 Jul 2026Shamed funeral director Robert Bush has arrived for his second day in court listening to the victims he traumatised, after spending his first night in the cells.‌Bush, 48, was remanded in custody on Monday and will learn his fate on Friday after days of listening to heart-wrenching victim impact statements. Already Hull crown court has been told of the trauma suffered by his victims, who revealed they had PTSD, still endured nightmares and had lost their trust in people. One told the court: "If you can't trust an undertaker who can you trust?"‌Bush is being sentenced at Hull crown court for more than 65 offences which took place over 12 years and involved more than 300 victims and grieving families. Police were alerted by two funeral directors who'd been asked to collect a body for Bush while he was on holiday in Arizona.‌They discovered a 'horror scene' with 31 bodies that should have been cremated months earlier, including a stillborn baby that had been there for almost two years. They also found more than 100 sets of ashes, some with name labels and letters attached to the box.During their investigation, police found that many families of the deceased found at the Legacy site had already been given ashes by Bush, uncovering a widespread practice of giving grieving relatives the wrong ashes. Investigators also learned that Bush had committed fraudulent trading in relation to funeral plans, where he would take payment for the plans but not pass any of the money on to the financial institutions who would hold it for when the funeral was required.‌The disgraced funeral director also stole from charities as he failed to pass on donations which had been collected at funeral, including those made to the Salvation Army and Macmillan Cancer Support. In April, Bush pleaded guilty to 30 counts of preventing a lawful and decent burial, and theft from 12 charities.As Bush arrived at court for the first day of the sentencing yesterday, he was confronted with bereaved families and campaigners calling for reforms to the funeral industry. In the entrance foyer of the court, Bush stood alongside the families whose loved ones he had been trusted to care for.‌Several stared at the shamed funeral director, who was flanked by two police officers, while others burst into tears. Bush twisted his hands nervously as he waited, having removed the black face mask he'd used to cover up as he walked into the court. When confronted by journalists outside the court and asked whether he had a message to the families he said: "Yes, I'm sorry."Brother's body left in soiled hospital gownIn court, Bush avoided catching the eye of any of his victims as their impact statements were read out. As his victims wept, Bush spent much of the first day of his sentencing staring at his feet and frowning as he was guarded by one prison officer in the dock.‌It is believed the judge will hear up to 200 victim impact statements. Among those heard yesterday were harrowing accounts, including from Christina George whose brother Raymond Dagnall died in July 2023, aged 64. She said Bush would continually use the phrase 'Bless you', but she had no idea that her brother's body had been left laying in a soiled hospital gown."These words used to sound endearing, peaceful and comforting," she said. "Now they just make me feel sick and the hairs prickle on the back of my neck. I didn't want to go and see Raymond when he had died because I was afraid of how he would look. I wanted to remember him as he was, smiling and happy. When I found out that Raymond was just left on a rack wearing a soiled hospital gown and still with hospital tubes in his body, the guilt was just too much."‌Body 'rotting away'Another victim, Jayne Rimmington, spoke of how Bush "smiled" as he handed over a box of ashes that did not belong to her mum, Shirley Wright. In fact, Shirley's body lay in the funeral home for six months, "rotting away". She added that the family had "left money with him" which had been collected in her mother's memory for Cancer Research, but the charity never received it.Rea Burton's grandad, David Burton, was another victim. He had died in October 2023, with the family turning to Legacy to organise a funeral - but four months after the funeral, they learned that he had never been laid to rest. The court heard Ms Burton told Bush the family were having the ashes put into necklace charms and that her uncle was going to have some put into ink for a tattoo.Funeral boss Robert Bush arrives at court ahead of sentencingArticle continues belowShe said Bush described it as a "brilliant idea". But the family had actually created momentoes using a stranger's ashes. She said: "In reality, Rob had deceived us. He had abandoned and hidden our loved one for months and had given us a stranger's ashes, with a smile on his face."The sentencing at Hull Crown Court is listed to take place over five days, and is expected to hear from more than 100 victims. Bush, formerly of Kirk Ella, East Yorkshire, but now of Otley, West Yorkshire, has been remanded in custody.