Grieving daughter welcomes police investigation into funeral directors

A woman who claims her father’s body was not treated correctly by a former funeral directors has welcomed a police investigation into the firm.

Emma Weir claims undertakers at A Milne did not embalm or ID-tag her late father’s body and said her family were left “in limbo” when they asked for their deposit to be refunded.

Detectives have launched a probe into the now-closed A Milne Independent Funeral Directors amid allegations of ashes going missing, families being given the wrong remains, and financial misconduct.

Ms Weir, 27, and her mother Bernadette, 53, were heartbroken when Edward “Eddie” Weir died suddenly aged 55 after collapsing on March 19 this year.

The mother and daughter, of Millerston, Glasgow, entrusted A Milne, which had a branch in the city, with his body and paid a £1,400 deposit.

Ms Weir claimed A Milne staff had to get two friends of the Weir family to help them when they took Mr Weir’s body from the house to a black company car.

She said eight days later, her father’s body remained in the same clothes he was wearing when he died, had no ID-tag and was left in a fridge.

The mother-of-three said the company also asked them for the deposit immediately, “without even so much as speaking about coffins or any funeral plans whatsoever”.

She added: “We were then left in limbo for around a week. My dad’s body was in the fridge the whole time.”

Ms Weir’s family eventually lost patience and hired another funeral directors, which attended but she claimed that staff were initially unable to find Mr Weir’s body in the A Milne morgue because it did not have an ID tag.

Ms Weir said her mother was eventually refunded £740 of her £1,400 deposit back.

She said when the family initially reported the incident to police they were told at the time that it was a civil matter and were referred to the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD).

Ms Weir said she is glad the police are now investigating the firm, and she hopes they will ensure the parlour remains shut.

She said: “I’m hoping the police shut them down for good.

“People are distraught that they don’t have their loved ones’ ashes yet.”

A Milne had branches in Springburn, Glasgow, and Dumbarton, which have closed, and it has also shut down its website.

The NAFD previously said it had received “a number of complaints” but the business “appeared to have stopped corresponding with us”.

Police Scotland said on Wednesday a search of the premises in Balornock Road, Springburn, had concluded and any ashes found would “be treated with the utmost respect”.

The search was carried out between May 3 and 14, with a “detailed examination” into the storage and return of cremated remains and finances.

Detective Inspector Gerry Shovlin, Clydebank CID, said on Wednesday: “This is a very sensitive and emotive case and we recognise the upset and distress that families have experienced.

“Our investigation has been going on for several weeks now and will continue for some time, due to the level of inquiry that will need to be followed up.

“It is a complex inquiry that involves a number of agencies, but families can be reassured that the ashes of their loved ones are a priority and will be treated with the utmost respect.”

An email address has been set up for the public to contact police directly, and the force said the investigation will continue “for some time”.

Anyone wishing to contact police can call officers on 101 quoting incident number 1289 of May 2, or use the dedicated email address operationkoine@scotland.police.uk.

The PA news agency has approached A Milne Independent Funeral Directors for comment.

The NAFD have also been contacted for comment.