Funeral directors convicted after families misled on cremations

The operators of Elkin and Bell Funeral Directors have been convicted of multiple offences including deceiving grieving families into believing their relatives had been cremated, in what has been described by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary as the first prosecution of its kind in the UK. 

Richard Elkin and Hayley Bell were officially found guilty last week (12 December) after a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court of offences including preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body and fraudulently trading while insolvent.  

The case arose after High Court bailiffs entered the couple’s premises on Nobes Avenue on 10 December 2023 to repossess the property because of rent arrears and mounting debts. Inside, they discovered the bodies of two elderly men in a rear room of the building.

Police later said the premises were in a state of serious disrepair, with broken windows, used coffins, no refrigeration where bodies were stored, water leaking through the ceiling and a strong, unpleasant smell.

An investigation by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary found that one family had been falsely told their relative had been cremated on 4 December, when in fact the body had been left at the premises for 36 days and was decomposing. Payments for the funeral had already been received through a pre-arranged funeral plan.

Elkin initially claimed the cremation could not go ahead because insurance funds had not been paid, but investigators established this was untrue. Bell later told police she had received the money but did not “have the time” to arrange the cremation.

The prosecution said the business had been trading fraudulently for an extended period and was effectively insolvent, with new payments used to cover existing debts. Elkin was also found to have displayed a forged “Certificate of Funeral Directing”, falsely claiming accreditation from the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD).

The trial, which began on 17 November 2025, heard evidence from several affected families. Elkin was convicted of public nuisance, preventing lawful burial, carrying on a business with intent to defraud, and making and using a false instrument. Bell was convicted of public nuisance, preventing lawful burial and carrying on a business with intent to defraud.

Both defendants, of Nobes Avenue in Gosport, were bailed to appear at Portsmouth Crown Court on 19 February 2025 for sentencing.

Assistant chief constable Paul Bartolomeo of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the defendants had “betrayed” the trust placed in them by families at their most vulnerable. He added that the case highlighted the need for stronger regulation of the funeral sector and updated legislation to prevent similar offences.

Meanwhile, Rachel Robertson, district crown prosecutor for CPS Wessex, said the convictions had delivered justice for families whose trust was “grossly abused”, adding that Elkin and Bell had shown “grave disregard for the dignity and care owed to the deceased” despite being paid to provide lawful funerals.