Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

The second day of Robert Bush's sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court has been an emotional one.

Hearing early this afternoon from the four mothers whose babies were part of the Legacy scandal was very difficult for many people and lots left the court after they finished speaking.

The last statements today were about fraudulent funeral policies and we heard from several people who spoke in court about how angry they are with Bush for selling them policies they weren’t able to use.

They believed their funerals were all paid for and sorted but have found out they weren’t.

The sentencing hearing will continue tomorrow here at Hull Crown Court.

We're ending our live coverage - read more in our story here

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Phylis Daly turns to Robert Bush as she starts to read out a statement on behalf of her mother, father and daughter who she used Legacy for.

She is calm and speaking clearly.

She says as well as giving a statement to police on her mother's funeral plan, she was told by police in 2024 that they had recovered her father's ashes from Legacy, despite believing his ashes had already been scattered on Chanterlands Avenue in Hull.

She says: "I am also worrying and questioning how Legacy looked after my daughter Jessica when she sadly passed away in 2018.

"I’m just hoping that he looked after her with the dignity and care she deserved.

"We received the ashes for Jessica and hope they are in fact hers. It leaves me wondering if this question will never be answered."

Daly described her feelings in relation to her experience with Legacy as "ongoing sadness".

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Prosecutor Chris Paxton KC told the court more than 200 members of the public contacted police regarding funeral plans taken out with Legacy.

The prosecutor said: "Many of the policies were taken out at the same time by husband and wife, or by parents, so that their children did not have to have concerns about paying for the funerals in the future.”

Paxton added: "The investigation has established that none of these funeral plans were referred to a third-party insurer and monies from the pre-paid plans were transferred into the personal accounts of Mr Bush and his wife."

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

People affected by this part of the case are going to stand up and read their statements now.

They’ve been waiting all day to speak.

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

The prosecution has started speaking about the fraudulent policies after some earlier discussion in court about this part of the case against Bush.

A mother whose baby was found by police in the Legacy funeral home is calling for a change in the law to regulate the funeral industry and recognise premature babies as humans.

Jasmine Beverley gave birth to her son, Sunny Beverley-Conlin, prematurely in May 2022.

They were given ashes and held a funeral but, two years later, police found their son's body, still at the funeral home.

Speaking outside the court after reading her victim impact statement, Jasmine said she would take the issue to Andy Burnham.

"Obviously I want the regulations in there, what we're trying to push for, but for some reason the government are taking a step back on that," she told the BBC.

She also said she wanted children born before 24 weeks to be recognised, as they are currently "not classed as a human being in their own right"."So, if a mother wants that child recognised, I think they should be given that right," she added.

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Lawyers are now moving on to talk about fraudulent trading of funeral policies.

These relate to 226 people but were 158 policies.

The lawyer is explaining that often a policy would have been made out for a husband and wife so that’s why those two numbers are different.

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

David Greensides, who trusted Bush following the deaths of both of his parents tells the court: "He had the nerve to stand in front of me and give me ashes he knew full well were not theirs.”

A statement by David was read out in court on behalf of his parents, Maureen and Keith Greensides.

David had used Legacy for both of his parents, Maureen and Keith Greensides, who both died "within a very short space of time".

He received the ashes of both of his parents from Legacy in a white cardboard box with a name tag on the top, which David tells the court led him to believe the ashes were theirs.

After approaching the police when the investigation into Legacy started, David says the family were then informed by police that his parents' ashes had been recovered from Leeds Crematorium.

Image source, Handout

David's statement reads: "My perspective of him changed at this point. I was empty. I had no feelings for him.

"I had been stood in his premises collecting my parents’ ashes and he knew that their bodies were in the back of his premises."

He adds: "Robert Bush is a despicable human being and must live with what he has done for the rest of his life.

"I would like to know why Robert Bush thought his actions were acceptable."

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

One of the prosecution lawyers has been reading out statements from people affected by the Legacy case for more than half an hour now.

The courtroom is emptier than it has been with only a dozen or so family members here.

Lots of people today have mentioned in their statements that Bush seemed nice and kind when they first met him, and the contrast of this with how they now feel about him now.

The feelings of guilt at having chosen Legacy is continuing to come through from many people today too.

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

A statement was read out on behalf of Dianne Scandole, speaking for her mother in relation to her stepfather, Raymond Parker.

Dianne says they had used Legacy as it was the only funeral service she knew of at the time.

Initially, she says Bush came across as "very friendly and professional".

She says in the statement: "The funeral was at Legacy and people could go anytime to see him. It makes me think that was there even a body in the coffin?"

Dianne says Raymond's ashes were given to them in "a gift bag with an urn in it" and they went on to give Bush "an expensive bottle of wine and chocolates for being so helpful".

Image source, Handout

She says it was "shocking" to hear about the police investigation into Legacy, and to find out Raymond's ashes were with police.

"We again went to Beverley and scattered the ashes in Beverley. It was traumatic the first time and to have to relive it was awful.

"I remember saying that I hoped whoever we had scattered first was at peace."

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

The front three benches in court are empty now as lawyers continue to read out statements from people affected by Legacy.

Lots of people have spoken of how they felt denied dignity, care and respect for both themselves and their loved ones.

Bush has been sitting with his head down for much of the afternoon.

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

"I am devastated that I will never have any closure because I know that my brother's ashes are lost forever," says Samantha Rosenquest, in a statement read about her brother, Michael Hall.

She says the "final thing" she could do for Michael was "give him a good send-off".

"I feel like even this has been tainted now after what Rob has done," she says.

She says she was "appalled" that money they had sent was not given to the charity of their choice, the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Foundation.

"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," the statement adds.

Image source, Handout

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Hearing the four mums speak was hard for lots of people in court.

They were all incredibly upset but managed to get through their statements even through their tears.

Many other people watching in court were also crying.

It looked as if the four families stayed in court to give each other support before all leaving very quickly once they had all read their statements.

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

"It doesn't feel real," says Lucy Ness, another mother who put trust in Bush at Legacy after her baby died.

Speaking in court, she says: "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."

She adds that Bush "took advantage of me" when she was in an "emotional and fragile state" and that she will "never recover" from what has happened.

Image source, Handout

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

"You can’t even imagine it happening to somebody else, let alone yourself," says Stacey Foster, referring to her baby Tommy Cooke, who they had used Legacy for when he died.

She says: "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."

She adds that her daughter, who was three at the time, "kept her going" and "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," she adds.

Image source, Handout

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

After multiple miscarriages, Katie Woolston found out she had been given the wrong ashes of her baby - referred to in court as Baby Woolston - while she was pregnant.

She says there was "significant evidence to suggest Bush had picked up the baby's remains from the hospital, but never actually cremated them".

She tells the court: "I was meant to be relaxing and getting ready for my baby to arrive.

"Instead, I felt a wave of emotions. Sadness, anger and grief for the baby whom I now didn't know where their remains were, or ever will for that matter."

She adds: "I often wonder where my baby’s remains are, whether they ever made it back to the Legacy funeral home, or if they were just disposed of like a piece of litter.

"I hope no other families ever have to go through anything like this again."

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Katie Woolston, who lost her baby, looks directly at Bush as she walks up to read out her statement. She takes several deep breaths but starts crying as soon as she speaks.

Katie then covers her face in distress as she speaks about finding out about what had happened at Legacy.

Katie and Jasmine have both mentioned that even though they lost what are medically called a ‘foetus’- to them they were their babies.

They say they loved them and were excited about meeting them and having them in their lives, and have been devastated by their loss and the way they’ve been treated by Bush.

Eleanor Maslin
BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Jasmine Beverley's stillborn baby Sunny-Beverley Conlin was discovered at the Hull premises in 2024, almost two years after his funeral and after they were given ashes.

"When he was eventually found, he was in a brown paper bag on the floor," Beverley tells the court through tears.

Speaking in court, she says: "I had always rooted for you Rob, to do a good job.

"My husband worked at the crematorium and he knew you personally. He spoke highly of you. He called you a kind and trustworthy man."

"I trusted you with the most precious person in my life," she adds.

Image source, Handout

She says when she discovered what happened, it "reopened the trauma in a way I could not describe".

"I learned the truth while I was pregnant with my rainbow baby," she says.

"Instead of being able to grieve and heal, I've been forced to live that trauma again and again," she tells the court.

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

Jasmine’s voice is raised as she addresses ‘Rob’ in court, referring to the funeral director Robert Bush.

She is taking deep breaths in between her sentences. Two people on the benches behind us have their arms around each other as they listen.

Other people are watching Jasmine as she speaks.

She speaks directly to Bush again and raises her voice as she speaks to him.

Jessica Lane
Reporting from Hull Crown Court

The details of how Sunny was found were read out by the lawyer before Jasmine stood up and one person behind us in court took a deep breath in.

Jasmine takes several deep breaths herself as she stands in front of the court.

Some people have grabbed a tissue box as Jasmine stands in front of us breathing deeply but unable to speak through her tears.