Legacy – the stories that must be told: 24 of the loved ones who whose families will never forgive or forget

The 48-year-old left bodies to decompose at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors’ premises in the city, gave bereaved families the ashes of other people and stole money donated from collections at funerals.The “horror” and revulsion felt by the families who had lost loved ones was revealed at Hull Crown Court during a series of powerful and harrowing victim statements during the first four days of the five-day sentencing hearing.

Over the coming weeks, we will be publishing those statements – from families who had cruelly been taken advantage of when they were at their most vulnerable. Their stories need to be told, and we will ensure that they are, for as long as it takes.

I cannot believe that all this has happened. It has been very traumatic and has been like living in a nightmare. I am devastated that I will never have any closure because I know that my brothers’ ashes are lost forever. I found it very difficult to deal with the death of my brother due to the circumstances of us being estranged at the time of his death. He was still my brother and I loved him. We were very close growing up.

The final thing that I could do for Mike was to give him a good send off. I feel like even this has been tainted now after what Rob has done. It meant a lot for us as a family to send the money to the MND foundation. I am appalled that Rob did not do this. It was not his money to do as he pleased with.

I can’t help but wonder how many more people are in this position and I think he has probably done very well out of all the money he has kept. It’s a disgrace.

Hearing all about what Rob has done to all the other people has been so upsetting and the whole thing has brought back terrible memories of the death of my dad and husband back in 2016. It has also been very difficult for my three adult children who have been following the police updates. – Samantha Rosenquest

My husband was a father figure to my grandson as my daughter brought him up on her own. He looked up to him and it’s been very upsetting for him as it has been for my daughter and myself.

I took part of my husband’s ashes to Lanzarote, a favourite holiday destination, we both loved. I arranged to have his ashes scattered at sea there as he was in the Merchant Navy and crossed that area a lot. To now know there is a chance they might not be his ashes is heartbreaking.

Also, the collection box at the service for my husband was never taken to Castle Hill Hospital where they cared for my husband. I wanted the collection to be donated to the hospital to show our support for the organisation. It is so upsetting that this money will not help those it was intended to help.

I feel terrible and devastated that the money raised in Stan’s name has not gone to the people that helped him. I feel angry because I trusted Robert and his company Legacy Funeral Directors. Bush’s actions have had a major impact on myself, my daughter and especially my grandson. – Christine Smith

This has taken away the possibility of complete closure and of being able to say goodbye to Dad. Especially for my sister who already feels detached from the family as she is all the way in Australia, and for her not to be able to ever have this closure and the physical piece of Dad close to her as she is so far away.

I believe she may have had jewellery made which she could eventually give to her daughter. My sister is massively family orientated due to being so far away from us so I know how important this would have been to her.

For Mum, almost her whole adult life she has been with Dad and now she has nothing of him, I believe she would have taken comfort from having even a small piece of him to have nearby. Dad was an upstanding gentleman and the thought that this could happen to him following his death is a revolting thought. To have this happen and be so far out of our control is appalling.

This has also taken away the opportunity to have a piece of my dad to be able to feel close to him in our thoughts and memories. The fact that somebody could do something of this nature on such a large scale makes it even worse. – Kirsty Young

Dealing with the untimely loss of my beloved wife Shirley is traumatic enough but to then be subjected to this is very difficult to handle.I just need to get justice and I hope that he is held accountable for not just me but all the other people who are going through the same as me. – Peter Welburn

To say the actions of Robert Bush have had a negative impact on the emotional wellbeing of my family and myself would be a huge understatement. When a family loses a loved one, they are helpless to do anything more for them and there is no choice but to hand them over to someone in a trusted position and trust that person will treat them with dignity and respect.

That person for our family was Robert Bush. We put our trust in Mr Bush at a time we were at our more vulnerable. He took advantage of that trust, and he took advantage of our vulnerability.

Mr Bush promised us faithfully that he would look after our mum, that he would respect her last wishes and then deliver her back to us. Not only did he do the exact opposite of what he promised but his actions have prolonged our pain and suffering.

They have caused even more despair and heartache on top of our immense grief and has robbed us of our piece of mind. This is something that we can never get back, something that will never be made better and something we have to carry for the rest of our lives. – Michelle Drewry

My dad got a knock on the door, and it was the police. They told him they had found my mum’s ashes which was in relation to Legacy. This has turned my life upside down.

How could Robert Bush do this to my mam and all the other victims? My family and friends couldn’t believe what has happened. The pain is unbearable and now we are having to go through the pain all over again. My whole family has been affected by this.

My friends don’t know what to say to me sometimes, but I do get lot of hugs. When I went to a memorial at Preston Road, I met a couple who was going through the same issue. I spoke to them and after I went outside, I just broke down in tears. It was a heart-wrenching moment.

The last couple of months I have been going to a monthly vigil which has helped me because I’ve been feeling so lost and have had some private prayers from vicars. People have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on funerals and having to do this again is insane. These people don‘t know what they have done to us all in body and mind. – Darren Kendall

When I first saw on the news that the police were investigating Legacy, it frightened me. When it first came out, it was all about bodies being found and I remember shouting, “It better not be my dad in there”.

As time progressed, we then became concerned that we may not have dad’s ashes. This was something else to really worry about. It’s been nothing but trauma to all us families.

I have feelings of extreme anger towards Robert Bush. I am angry that he is on bail while I am going through all of this trauma. The other victims are also going through hell. I am so upset that I didn’t see this coming because there were warning signs at the time when I look back.

I cannot understand why he has done what he has done to his victims. I think you should have a big heart to do that job and it’s such a shame that he hasn’t a heart for anyone affected by his actions. The fingerprints we received years on from my dad’s death haunt me every day.

My family and I are never going to heal from this trauma. I’ll never be myself again and that’s because of Robert Bush. – Kadie Laws

I am disgusted by him, he cannot have any sort of conscience. To take advantage and treat people so poorly at such a vulnerable and upsetting time when loved ones pass away is truly reprehensible.

I just want fairness and justice and want him to feel the pain he has put me and countless others through. I hope Mr Bush is held fully accountable for what he has done. He has deceived not only my family, but every family involved in this. No one should ever have to endure what we’ve been through. – Sylvia Rawson

I will never forget this horrendous ordeal. ,There are constant reminders such as charities on the TV advertising that you can leave a legacy in your will for the charity. On hearing the word legacy just sickens me to the stomach.

I cannot believe that someone who appeared to be so genuine could turn out to be such an evil conman and prey on grieving relatives at a time which is unbearable for families to cope with a loss of a loved one. He has taken advantage of so many, and I don’t know how he can live with what he has done.

Some will never get closure or know where their loved ones are, it’s just heartbreaking. – Christine Colville

This has affected us as a family more than you could possibly imagine. It’s like reliving the pain all over again.How on earth could anyone do this to one person, never mind so many that have been affected. You put your trust in funeral directors at a time when you are at your lowest and most vulnerable.

It’s utterly outrageous and despicable. I really cannot get my head around it at all.

I am very grateful to the police for getting Keith’s ashes back to me. I feel so so sorry for all those who are not in my position and will never know what has happened to their loved one’s ashes. – Jackie Delaney

The heartache that we have gone through is immense. Not only have we lost our baby in such devastating circumstances, to be treated in such a way by Robert Bush is beyond words.

You can’t even imagine it happening to somebody else, let alone yourself. Luckily, I had my daughter to keep me going, she was a reason to get up on a morning.

The fact that I was pregnant at the time I found out was very stressful along with the worry that something would happen again during the pregnancy. Not only was the grieving process delayed by not getting any ashes back from Robert Bush for several weeks, it has also been prolonged and relived by the investigation.

We were robbed of having our baby back with us and Tommy Cooke was robbed of his identity by the complete disrespect shown to Tommy and our situation by Robert Bush. – Stacey Foster

All of this has taken a toll on me. To being told that I couldn’t have children, to falling pregnant and being so excited to then suffer losing the baby was bad enough.

But then to have someone exploit and take advantage of me when I was in such an emotional and fragile state is the lowest anyone could go and completely unforgivable. I don’t know that I will ever recover from what he has done to me and my family.It doesn’t even feel real. I cannot imagine it ever happening to anyone, let alone to us.

I put my trust in Robert to do the right thing and look after my baby. He has done the lowest of the low. I have now been left with nothing but an empty bag, which once contained the ashes of my baby.

I will never know what he has done to them, where they have gone or who they are with. That baby was my hope and I can never forgive him for what he has done. I will never recover. – Lucy James Guest Ness

I cannot find the words of how I feel and how we have been treated by the company in relation to my mum. At a time when I feel that we should be able to trust a person to carry out what is required for my mum, I feel that we have been betrayed.

I feel that my Mum had been through enough with her dementia and this was the last thing that she would have wanted. – Susan Brown

I worry about what will happen when I die due to what has gone on with Legacy funeral directors and will my children know what to do and if they will receive my remains or someone else’s. I have put my trust in Legacy funeral directors and Robert Bush and feel betrayed by him.

When you receive your loved one’s ashes it helps you grieve your loved one but I have never had that opportunity with my father. It’s bad enough that my father has died but I have never received his ashes as I should have done. – Tracy Brigham

As a result of not having received my uncle’s ashes the family feel distraught that they cannot carry out the couple’s wishes to be buried together and be together forever. It was Colin and Janet’s wishes to be buried together and not having Colin’s ashes has meant we are unable to fulfil their wishes.

Rob Bush told us that he had Colin’s ashes, he clearly told me in an email that he had Colin’s ashes there at the premises and that we could collect him, however when the police carried out their searches Colin’s ashes were not there. He was not, as I would expect, safe at the premises and awaiting to be reunited with Janet. – Mark Hague

This has been a massive betrayal and we trusted Rob 100 per cent. It has had a massive impact on us all as a family, from the ashes scenario, to my uncle having a funeral plan with Legacy for 10 years which the police have explained is invalid.

My mother has really suffered from what has happened. She can’t grieve. She needs closure and this will be when she receives the ashes back. – Lee Clarke

The deep grief I’m continually suffering in losing my mam of 101 years of age, and so soon afterwards, losing my wonderful husband, Malcolm; I never thought anyone could tear my heart any more. But Robert Bush, you did. This has absolutely broken me. I am devastated.

When I said to Robert Bush that he was taking my heart with him when he took Malcolm, I didn’t realise how literal this was going to be.

I cried and was devastated when they both died but I thought I had them back with me when I had their ashes. Robert Bush has stolen them from me. What he has done is cruel. He has stolen a part of my life away. I am so devastated that I cannot find the words to convey how much he has destroyed me. – Linda Hall

I feel really guilty I have allowed this to happen. I don’t feel angry with them. I’m angry with myself for putting my trust in those people.

My dad didn’t have a great start in life, but he met my mum and they had a great family and he cared and provided for us. He really deserved to be cared for and respected in death too but wasn’t. – Michelle Martin

I can’t even put into words how this has made me feel, I never thought I would feel the pain of losing a parent again but this brought all this pain back.

We put our trust into Rob to do the right thing and give Dad a respectful send off that he deserved. He never deserved this, and we didn’t deserve to be treated this way as a family.

I would like to feel that he would feel the pain of every single person and family he has put through this pain. – Jillian Townhill

I am traumatised by what has happened and forced to live with knowing that the ashes I have received may not be my brother and could be someone else. I have never received my dad’s ashes and I have never been told where they are.I have to live with never knowing what happened to my loved ones and feel guilty that I trusted Rob. – Billie-Jo SuffillI think this situation is disgusting, appalling and unbelievable. We are heartbroken that this has happened to our loved one.We are all upset about this as a family and we cannot believe what has happened. – Carol Brown

I want to know why they have done this, not just to me but to everyone involved, I can only think financial gain.You expect people in this business to have integrity. This has brought back all the grieving again. – Michael Endall

It is horrible that we will never know about my Grandad’s ashes. We are confident that we have my Nana’s ashes and it’s lovely that we have her fingerprints that Jessica and I have had printed into necklaces within a heart pendant.

We wanted to do the same for Grandad, but we will never know if we have his ashes. We would have like to have got both their ashes buried together but now this will never happen.

I have thought about all the poor people who have had their loved ones left at the funeral home without being dealt with properly. It must be horrific for these people to have to deal with that.

The whole family is extremely upset by what Robert Bush has done to us. We are in this situation for the rest of our lives. – Rebecca Windas

My family and I trusted the male and the company and we trusted them with the remains of my Mum to be dealt with in a dignified way. We trusted them to do the right thing with the donations which were made as well as doing the right thing by our family at one of the hardest times of our life.

Having to now go for months without knowing exactly what has happened to my mum or if she ever was cremated puts huge doubts in our minds as to what the company did. This is a stressful situation for us all which is causing distress to us. We see things in the media about what other families have gone through about what has happened to their loved ones and ashes, which raises further questions to us.

How can anybody be sure that the ashes they have belong to their loved ones? I feel as though there will never be any answers for us and I will never know what has happened to my mum. – Brendon Brown