31/07/2026
I’ve deliberately waited until the Courts have sentenced the Hull funeral director, giving him 20 years in prison, before writing anything.
My first thoughts are with the families who have been affected by the events that took place in Hull. No sentence or words can undo the hurt that they will have had to endure. It is only right that the criminal courts have held him to account for his crimes.
The last two years have generated a great deal of public interest into the actions of this business, which operated outside of the scrutiny of the NAFD or SAIF.
Whilst these trade associations have no enforcement powers, they do prove to the community that the business has voluntarily undergone a rigorous inspection of their facilities and business practices. These include how the deceased is cared for, how ashes are managed, and how charitable donations are handled. A condition of the membership is adhering to a code of conduct - a breach of which would result in serious sanctions or having membership revoked.
Legacy Funerals in Hull wasn’t a trade association member at the time of the police becoming involved. They weren’t independently inspected. They weren’t held to account. They didn’t have their business practices scrutinised. He didn’t make mistakes, they were deliberate acts of negligence.
As a result, a rogue individual has dragged the funeral profession into the gutter, and tarnished the reputation of honest, hard working and caring professionals, of which I feel that we are industry leading. I am forever impressed by my staff and colleagues for the professionalism, kindness and compassion that they show.
To the public, I can only thank you for continuing to entrust us. If you ever wanted to see for yourself how your loved one is cared for, you only have to ask. We are proud to be members of NAFD and will continue to exceed the standards that are set.
