Victims of disgraced funeral boss demand industry regulation
Families affected by the crimes of funeral director Robert Bush are campaigning for statutory regulation of the UK funeral industry following his 20-year prison sentence. Bush was convicted of defrauding families and mishandling remains, prompting government pledges to address the lack of oversight in the sector.
Why it matters
The case exposes a significant regulatory gap in the funeral industry, leading to calls for legal protections to prevent future exploitation of grieving families.
Image source, PA Image caption, Relatives of the victims of Robert Bush call for funeral industry regulation outside his sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court
Tristan Essex is standing on the steps of Hull Crown Court, shoulder to shoulder with several others whose lives have been devastated by disgraced funeral director Robert Bush.
The 27-year-old is fighting alongside his sister Claire for regulation of the funeral industry, a journey that has seen them take their campaign to Downing Street and resulted in a new pledge from the government "to take urgent action to crack down on rogue funeral operators".
Their grandmother Jessie Stockdale was one of Bush's victims – her body one of the 35 found at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, five months after her funeral was held.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in