When families entrust funeral directors with the care of loved ones, they expect dignity, compassion, and professionalism. But for dozens of grieving families in Gosport, Hampshire, that trust was shattered by the shocking actions of two funeral directors, Richard Elkin and Hayley Bell, whose conduct has now resulted in criminal convictions and renewed calls for urgent reform in the funeral industry.
Elkin, 49, and Bell, 42, were found guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court of a series of grave offenses: preventing lawful burial, intentionally causing a public nuisance, and fraud. The court heard that between June 2022 and December 2023, the pair left 46 bodies in an unrefrigerated mortuary at their business, Elkin and Bell Funerals, in conditions described by prosecutors and witnesses as appalling and inhumane.
The details presented in court were nothing short of harrowing. According to BBC, bailiffs repossessing the premises due to spiraling debts—reported to exceed £20,000—discovered bodies “crawling with maggots” and “fly pupae” in the bags. The mortuary was plagued by a “horrific smell of dead bodies,” water leaked through the ceiling, and the temperature inside was no different from the rest of the premises. Some bodies had been left for more than 30 days; one, that of 87-year-old William Mitchell, had remained for 36 days and showed “obvious signs of decomposition.”
Prosecutor Lesley Bates KC told the court that the situation came to light when enforcement agents, tasked with repossessing the funeral home due to unpaid rent, stumbled upon the unrefrigerated bodies. Bates recounted, “Water was coming in through a leak in the roof of the mortuary room, it was running down the walls. The room was not refrigerated. The temperature within the mortuary room was no different to elsewhere in the premises.”
Families affected by the scandal were left devastated and incredulous. William Mitchell’s relatives, for instance, believed he had been cremated in a private ceremony, even placing a wreath at Portchester Crematorium. The reality was grimmer: his body was still at the funeral directors, decomposing in the unrefrigerated room. As Bates explained, “Mr Mitchell’s family were incredulous when told by police that his body had not been cremated in the planned private cremation.”
The deception extended further. Elkin and Bell claimed Mr. Mitchell’s cremation had been delayed due to unpaid fees, yet evidence showed that a funeral payment plan had already covered the costs. In fact, Elkin was also convicted of making and using a false instrument—displaying a forged certificate from the National Association of Funeral Directors in their office, as reported by Metro and Daily Mail.
The business’s financial woes were longstanding. Jurors heard that Elkin and Bell Funerals had been insolvent “almost since it began in 2019,” with a business model described as “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” Despite this, the pair continued to accept new clients, building up “a legacy of ever-increasing and irredeemable indebtedness.” The company was rarely able to pay its bills, including more than £13,000 in unpaid rent, and the refrigeration unit they purchased after environmental health warnings was woefully inadequate for the size of the mortuary.
Rachel Robertson from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) condemned the pair’s actions, stating, “They showed a grave disregard for the dignity owed to the deceased in their care and the trust placed in them by grieving families and failed to provide a proper and lawful burial for one gentleman which they were contractually obliged to do. Their conduct caused serious harm to those coming into contact with their business and the families who had placed the care of deceased loved ones in their trust.”
The emotional toll on families has been profound. Sharon Kirton, a client of the firm, expressed her anguish outside court: “Not knowing whether my mum was one of those bodies that was laying on the floor—that will never go. My mum said: ‘Make sure I’m looked after. I feel like I’ve let her down.’”
Testimony from those who witnessed the mortuary’s conditions painted an even more disturbing picture. A forensic scientist found that Mr. Mitchell’s body was “in a greater state of decay than that of bodies exposed to lower temperatures consistent with refrigeration,” with extensive mold indicating long-term exposure to dampness. Another professional, Natasha Picket from Ruby Funerals, described a deceased individual transferred from Elkin and Bell’s as being in “a state of severe decomposition,” adding, “There were fly pupae in the body bag. This is the worst condition of a deceased I have ever seen come in to our business.”
In addition to their convictions for fraud, public nuisance, and preventing lawful burial, Elkin admitted to illegal possession of pepper spray. Judge James Newton-Price KC has adjourned sentencing until February 19, 2026, warning both defendants to “prepare yourselves for an immediate custodial sentence.” He emphasized the need for pre-sentence reports, noting, “Neither of you gave evidence in this trial and I need to know a little more about your circumstances and the circumstances surrounding these offences.”
The case has sparked calls for sweeping reforms in how the funeral industry is regulated. Assistant Chief Constable Paul Bartolomeo of Hampshire Constabulary remarked, “Our officers turned over every stone to bring Elkin & Bell to justice using legislation that is hundreds of years old. Sadly we are aware of other similar cases across the country. We need new legislation rather than relying on common law. We also need better regulation. This can help ensure that all funeral directors act, as the majority do, with professionalism and compassion.”
The story has resonated far beyond Gosport, prompting public outrage and deep reflection on the vulnerability of grieving families. As Bartolomeo observed, “We have all lost someone we care about, or will in the future. When that happens, in the worst moment of our lives, we turn to trusted pillars of the community to help, to look after our loved ones, to provide care. Mr Elkin and Ms Bell betrayed that trust, and betrayed it in the worst way possible.”
As the sentencing date approaches, the community—and indeed the country—will be watching closely. The hope is that this distressing episode will not only deliver justice for the families affected but will also drive long-overdue changes to ensure that such a betrayal of trust can never happen again.
