During a police interview at the start of the investigation, Bush accepted he should have contacted the council’s bereavement services when debts began to mount and he found himself unable to pay for cremations.
“I know that this has hurt people,” said Bush. “I am so sorry for the hurt caused but I never wanted it to be like this. It wasn’t my plan. It was poor choices.”
He also offered an apology to bereaved relatives during a five-day sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court.
In mitigation, his barrister said the defendant did “not seek in any way to minimise what he has done”.
“He submits an apology without qualification and he accepts that responsibility,” said Richard Wright KC.
“Greed, incompetence and an inability to keep up with his own failings” drove the defendant’s crimes, he added.
Today, Curtis remains of the opinion that Bush did not demonstrate remorse.
He said he still does not understand “what’s gone on in Robert Bush’s head”.
Some of the crimes dated back to 2012, when he owned Legacy Independent Funeral Directors.
Prior to that, the 48-year-old had worked for other funeral businesses in the city. He oversaw 2,000 funerals during his career.