Police Investigating Funeral Directors in Hull Say 163 Families Involved

Police outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, England, on March 9, 2024. (Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Police investigating a firm of funeral directors in the city of Hull say 163 families are involved and have been spoken to by detectives probing the mishandling of bodies and ashes.

In March, Humberside Police launched an investigation into Legacy Independent Funeral Directors and recovered 35 bodies, as well as suspected human ashes, at the company’s main premises in the city.

A 46-year-old man and a woman, aged 23, remain on police bail as detectives investigate offences of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation, and fraud by abuse of position.

On Monday the force’s Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said, “Over the last two weeks, my officers have been making contact with the families identified as part of the investigation.”

Mr. McLoughlin said it was impossible to identify any of the human ashes using DNA profiles, a fact he said would be “devastating news for families and loved ones”

“This has been to provide an update as to the ashes recovered and to also arrange personal meetings with them, to offer further support and discuss in detail the process that has taken place and the options available to them,” he added.

The police are working closely with Hull City Council and East Riding Council to provide support to the affected families.

‘The Families Are Our Priority’

Mr. McLoughlin said, “Understandably the families are our priority,” and they were trying to keep them out of the media spotlight, although a handful have spoken to news outlets about their ordeals.

It is not possible to identify the ashes using DNA profiles which, he said, has been “devastating news for families and loved ones.”

The families are now unsure whether the ashes of their loved ones had been correctly identified and handled.

Mr. McLoughlin said: “Some families may want to receive the ashes, and others may not. There is no right or wrong answer, and the impact and effect it will have will differ for each individual family, but it should not be underestimated and we will do all we can to support those throughout what is an incredibly difficult time.”

The police received more than 2,000 calls on a dedicated phone line when the story first broke.

They were in contact with 700 families but have narrowed those involved down to 163.

In March, the chief executive of the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, Julie Dunk, said the Hull incident highlighted the need for funeral directors to be regulated.

PA Media contributed to this report.