A third person has been arrested after police received a report concerning “care of the deceased” at a funeral directors in Hull.

Legacy Independent Funeral Directors has been under investigation since March when officers recovered 35 bodies, as well as suspected human ashes, at a site in Hessle Road in Hull.

A 54-year-old woman was held on suspicion of money laundering on Wednesday as part of the investigation.

A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position in March.

Humberside Police have said the man, who was on bail, has also been arrested on suspicion of theft, making or supplying articles for use in frauds and offences under the Financial Services Act.

Three branches of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors were raided across Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire as part of the case.

Since detectives announced the investigation, hundreds of families have been left questioning whether they have the ashes of their loved ones, with some saying they have been told they definitely have the wrong remains.

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Richard Shaw, whose wife Rita died after a short illness last October, had unidentified ashes in an urn at his home for many months after using Legacy Funeral Directors.

Police recently contacted him to say they had found what they believed to be his wife’s ashes.

They have just been returned to him, eight months after her death.

Read more:
Man doesn’t know if ashes are his wife’s
Police unable to use DNA to identify ashes
Flowers left at funeral home raided by police

Speaking after the third arrest, Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said: “This remains an extremely complex and sensitive investigation and we continue to follow all lines of inquiry and seek answers for the families involved and those affected by this report.

“Three people have now been arrested as part of the investigation, two are in our custody and one remains on police bail whilst investigations continue.

“As we enter the fourth month since the initial report came in to us, we continue to keep the families, friends and everyone affected at the heart of everything we do and are committed to working with partners to ensure that they receive the help and support that they need.”

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