'Prevention of lawful burial' arrests after cops remove bodies from funeral home

10 March 2024 , 17:40

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Police outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull after after reports of "concern for care of the deceased (Image: PA)

Police in Hull have arrested two people in the ongoing investigation into a string of funeral homes from which officers have removed 34 bodies.

A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial in connection, Humberside Police said on Sunday. The arrests came after officers swooped on three branches of the Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull and Beverley, East Yorkshire, on Friday.

The force also revealed they had removed dozens of human bodies from one of the firm's branches in Hull, and said they were in the process of identifying remains. The shock news has prompted the force to set up helplines for anyone worried about their deceased loved ones.

The three branches remained sealed off over the weekend, as cops said they were "working around the clock" to deal with what they described as "unprecedented enquiries". Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said: “We can confirm that a man, aged 46 and a woman, aged 23 have been arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position and remain in police custody at this time.

“As part of our investigation, as of today (Sunday 10 March), we can confirm 34 deceased people have now been respectfully transported from Legacy Funeral Directors based on Hessle Road to the mortuary in Hull for formal identification procedures to take place. Since the report on Wednesday 6 March, cordons remain in place at all three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors premises."

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ACC McLoughlin said the force had already been flooded with more than 350 calls relating to the investigation. He added: “Each call we receive is being carefully handled and delicately assessed by a specialist team to ensure we have a thorough understanding of each family’s circumstances. We will get back to each and every one of you as soon as we can.

“Please be reassured that my staff and officers are working around the clock to deal with the unprecedented enquiries generated as a result of this incident. Families affected continue to be supported by family liaison officers at what we appreciate is an extremely distressing time for all involved.

“These officers are also working closely with our partners to ensure that families are provided with the most appropriate care and support for their personal circumstances whilst our investigation continues.” The Mirror has contacted Legacy for comment.

Susie Beever