In the final episode in this series, we look at crimes from the United States within funeral homes that have led the way for meaningful change and tighter legislation. And we end the series with hope and reassurance, by reflecting on the people doing incredible work in the funeral industry.

Including Kirstie Atherton, a funeral celebrant and founder of the community interest company 'Dead Positive', who is revolutionising the funeral industry, taking people and communities by the hand as they explore issues around death, dying, funerals and bereavement.

This is Grave Concerns.

To find out more about Dead Positive, please see here:

https://www.deadpositive.org/

If you'd like to support the show, please see the link to my Patreon here, thank you:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

If you need support, please see the organisations below who can help you:

England and Wales - https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/

Scotland - https://victimsupport.scot/

Ireland - https://www.crimevictimshelpline.ie/

Northern Ireland - https://www.victimsupportni.com/

Australia - https://victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/

New Zealand - https://www.victimsupport.org.nz/

America - https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services

Canada - https://www.canada.ca/en/office-federal-ombudsperson-victims-crime/services-services.html

Baby Loss Support - https://www.sands.org.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains references to the sexual abuse of corpses. Whilst the descriptions are not explicit, please take extra care whilst listening.

In the last 15 years, 2 cases of serious and depraved crimes happening inside hospital mortuaries have shocked and disgusted the world. Jimmy Savile and David Fuller's actions have broken the hearts and spirit of their victims families and led the way for new regulation within mortuary settings.

This is Grave Concerns.

If you'd like to support the show, please see the link to my Patreon here, thank you:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

If you need support, please see the organisations below who can help you:

England and Wales - https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/

Scotland - https://victimsupport.scot/

Ireland - https://www.crimevictimshelpline.ie/

Northern Ireland - https://www.victimsupportni.com/

Australia - https://victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/

New Zealand - https://www.victimsupport.org.nz/

America - https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services

Canada - https://www.canada.ca/en/office-federal-ombudsperson-victims-crime/services-services.html

Baby Loss Support - https://www.sands.org.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It takes a low person to scam grieving families when they are at their most vulnerable, and there is one man who has done just that, time and time again.

This episode looks at the crimes of Mark Kerbey, also known as Richard Sage, who has committed crimes and served a series of prison sentences for scamming, stealing and traumatising people accessing his funeral services across England and Scotland.

We also hear from Ross Hickton, the managing director of Hickton Family Funeral Directors and the current CEO of SAIF - The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, who is setting standards across the funeral industry and helping the government with the upcoming regulation.

This is Grave Concerns.

If you'd like to support the show, please see the link to my Patreon here, thank you:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

To find out more about SAIF and view their members directory, please see here:

https://saif.org.uk/

If you need support, please see the organisations below who can help you:

England and Wales - https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/

Scotland - https://victimsupport.scot/

Ireland - https://www.crimevictimshelpline.ie/

Northern Ireland - https://www.victimsupportni.com/

Australia - https://victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/

New Zealand - https://www.victimsupport.org.nz/

America - https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services

Canada - https://www.canada.ca/en/office-federal-ombudsperson-victims-crime/services-services.html

Baby Loss Support - https://www.sands.org.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode centres around the experiences of grieving parents and baby-loss.

In the summer of 2025, the BBC published a news story that broke the hearts of parents around the country. Two families had discovered the bodies of their babies, in the home of a funeral director.

These parents have now bravely spoken out to try to help change regulations in the UK and question why anyone, without education or training, can open a funeral home.

We also look back at a case that broke in 2012, which impacted hundreds of parents, who learnt the truth about where their babies ashes were and what was done to ensure this couldn't happen again in Scotland.

This is Grave Concerns.

If you'd like to support the show, please see the link to my Patreon here, thank you:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

If you need support, please see the organisations below who can help you:

England and Wales - https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/

Scotland - https://victimsupport.scot/

Ireland - https://www.crimevictimshelpline.ie/

Northern Ireland - https://www.victimsupportni.com/

Australia - https://victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/

New Zealand - https://www.victimsupport.org.nz/

America - https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services

Canada - https://www.canada.ca/en/office-federal-ombudsperson-victims-crime/services-services.html

Baby Loss Support

UK - www.heldinourhearts.org.uk (Nicola's Charity)

UK - https://www.sands.org.uk/

Canada - https://www.babysbreathcanada.ca

Ireland - https://feileacain.ie/

Australia - https://www.sands.org.au/

USA - https://starlegacyfoundation.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shadow funeral services are the parts of the funeral industry that are often out of the public's view. In this episode, we hear about cases that have been uncovered by journalists and families who discovered that their deceased loved one, wasn't where they thought they were.

We also hear from Andrew Judd, the CEO of the National Association of Funeral Directors, who offers comfort and reassurance - these are isolated incidents and shares more information about the NAFD and how families can ensure they choose the right funeral director.

This is Grave Concerns.

The NAFD's website is here, where you can search for a funeral home that has an active membership with them:

https://www.funeral-directory.co.uk/

If you'd like to support the show, please see the link to my Patreon here, thank you:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

If you need support, please see the organisations below who can help you:

England and Wales - https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/

Scotland - https://victimsupport.scot/

Ireland - https://www.crimevictimshelpline.ie/

Northern Ireland - https://www.victimsupportni.com/

Australia - https://victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/

New Zealand - https://www.victimsupport.org.nz/

America - https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services

Canada - https://www.canada.ca/en/office-federal-ombudsperson-victims-crime/services-services.html

Baby Loss Support - https://www.sands.org.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last two decades, the UK has seen a number of criminal scandals in funeral homes bought to light and they have traumatised thousands of families who believed their deceased loved one had been treated with care and dignity. Instead, they've been told that they had been neglected, lost or abused.

But what's just as shocking for many, is the realisation that the UK funeral industry is currently unregulated. But soon, that will change.

In this series, we'll examine the cases that have spurred on the regulation for this industry and hear from the incredible funeral services professionals who are trying to create meaningful change. Because one day, we'll all be in their hands.

This is Grave Concerns.

If you'd like to support the show, please see the link to my Patreon here, thank you:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

If you need support, please see the organisations below who can help you:

England and Wales - https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/

Scotland - https://victimsupport.scot/

Ireland - https://www.crimevictimshelpline.ie/

Northern Ireland - https://www.victimsupportni.com/

Australia - https://victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/

New Zealand - https://www.victimsupport.org.nz/

America - https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services

Canada - https://www.canada.ca/en/office-federal-ombudsperson-victims-crime/services-services.html

Baby Loss Support - https://www.sands.org.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 22nd of March 2022, a woman calls 999 and says her husband has tried to take his own life. When the emergency services arrive, they enter a scene of devastation and chaos and 28-year-old Kyle Pugh dies.

But when the post-mortem comes back, all is not what it seems.

This is REAL.

Information on Kyle's Law:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyldx313g9o

If you need help or support with domestic abuse please get in touch with the following organisations:

https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ - UK

https://mankind.org.uk/ - Support for male victims

https://safelives.org.uk/ - UK

https://www.victimsupportni.com/help-for-victims/domestic-violence/ - Northern Ireland

https://mapni.co.uk/ - Northern Ireland for men

https://sdvs.ie/ - Ireland

https://www.mensaid.ie/ - Ireland for men

https://www.lifewire.org/ - USA

https://www.thehotline.org/resources/men-can-be-victims-of-abuse-too/ - USA for men

https://www.rizeup.com.au/ - Australia

https://mensline.org.au/family-violence/ - Australia

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In October 2020, West Mercia police launched a nation wide manhunt. There was a serial killer on the loose and they needed to catch him before he killed again.

The name of this killer isn't widely known outside of the area local to where these horrific murders took place. Today, we're going to explore the facts in the case against Anthony Russell and remember David Williams, Julie Williams and Nicole McGregor.

This is REAL.

If you'd like to support the show, you can join Patreon here, thank you:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/ - For people who have been the victim of sexual abuse (UK)

https://www.rainn.org/ - Sexual Abuse Support USA

https://www.nasasv.org.au/support-directory - Sexual Abuse Support Australia 

https://www.rcni.ie/useful-links/ - Sexual Abuse Support Ireland

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 22nd of April 2018, 28-year-old mother of three Hollie Kerrell, went missing from her home in Wales.

Her husband told the police that she had left the family home and three people came forward to say they'd seen her after she had disappeared.

But then the police discovered the last text message Hollie had sent from her phone.... their hope of finding Hollie alive started to dwindle.

This is REAL.

If you'd like to join me on Patreon, you'd be so welcome:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we come to the end of 2025, there have been some significant updates in some of the cases featured on 'REAL', including one case, where someone who listened to the podcast, has come forward with information that could be life-changing for a grieving son.

This is REAL.

If you'd like to support the show for £2 a month and get additional content, giveaways and more, please join our community here:

https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast

In order of mention:

Luke Mitchell Campaign information:

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/help-bring-lukemitchell-home/

Lampard Inquiry:

https://lampardinquiry.org.uk/

Justice for Brett Dryden Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/637410278943938/

Brett Dryden Fundraiser for legal fees:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-brett-dryden

GoFundMe for Michael Frison & facebook group:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/funds-to-help-find-michael

https://www.facebook.com/groups/michaelfrisonmissing/

Justice for Jean Hanlon:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/255774531131043/?locale=en_GB

Kirsty Maxwell:

https://kirstymaxwell.com/

https://kirstymaxwellcharity.co.uk/kirsty-maxwell

Brian and Susan Appeal List:

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122094334305114335&set=a.122094334389114335&locale=en_GB

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.