Ashes fraud undertaker faces jail

[Bob]

A funeral director tricked a couple whose motorcyclist son had died into scattering the ashes of a complete stranger

Roger Barker, of Grove in Oxfordshire charged £1,700 for scattering ashes he said belonged to Lee Kent as Mr Kent's parents, Sheila and Paul, watched. Barker, 57, signed for the real ashes at the crematorium some days later.

Barker an undertaker for 25 years (his company R and H Barker has branches in Didcot and Wantage)
was found guilty of obtaining £1,697.82 by deception from Mrs Kent. He was told to expect a jail sentence when he was convicted of fraud by Judge McIntyre at Oxford Crown Court.

[Waylander]

Man, you dig up some wierd stuff...

[pete376403]

The undertaker could have got the idea (substituting "cremains") from watcing "Six Feet Under"

[Bob]

Just got this update:

Roger Barker - the funeral director who conned grieving parents by handing them the ashes of a complete stranger - has been allowed to walk free.

Judge McIntyre sentenced Barker to just 160 hours of Community Service after he read letters of support from hundreds of former clients across the country.

Barker was also ordered to pay £1,500 costs.

Summing up, Judge McIntyre said "The offence was commited as a result of your (Barker's) incompetence rather than malice or for personal financial gain. I accept you have not gained financially from your dishonesty, although it has to be said that indirectly by covering up your business will have benefitted".

So to make sure everyone knows the business in question, it is his company R and H Barker Funeral Directors, which has branches in Didcot and Wantage.

[NordieBoy]

Well that does it!
I'm never going to use them then.