Robert Bush, the funeral director who hoarded dozens of bodies at his Hull premises, was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in prison after a judge found he acted out of financial greed and caused suffering beyond comprehension.
Mr Justice Hilliard told Hull Crown Court that the 20-year term could not put right the harm Bush had inflicted. The court heard statements from more than 200 victims and was told Bush had defrauded 226 people of £562,117 through fake funeral plans while amassing personal debts of roughly £90,000. He spent customer money on holidays, motorcycle racing and home improvements, and stole donations earmarked for 12 charities including Macmillan Cancer Support.
Investigators identified 57 further families given wrong or no ashes, with one urn containing what appeared to be animal remains. Bush, who received a 14-year ban on directing a company, had more than 300 victims in total, police said.