No charges brought after lost ashes investigation

A man fears his mother's ashes may never be found after an investigation into Lincoln Crematorium closed without any action being taken.

Mike Rylatt's mother Pauline was laid to rest in 2023, before police informed Rylatt her ashes had not been interred.

Three people were arrested by Lincolnshire Police in July 2024, but the force has now confirmed that the investigation has ended and no criminal charges will be brought.

Rylatt said: "After 27 months, there are still no answers. I still don't know what happened to my mother's ashes."

Five other sets of ashes are believed to have been interred in the wrong plots in the crematorium's Garden of Remembrance in unwitnessed burials, according to the City of Lincoln Council, which runs the crematorium.

The council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service their thoughts remained "with those affected by this deeply upsetting experience" and said the person responsible for the crematorium at the time no longer worked there.

Rylatt said: "I don't believe they will ever be found; they have been lost.

"I have used every avenue for a victim of crime to try to get justice."

He said he felt "sad, lost and empty" as a result of the disappearance, and was "struggling to get closure".

"It's particularly traumatising to know that fake ashes, supposedly my mother's, were buried along with my father's, who died in 2020, resulting in a double hurt," Rylatt said.

In 2024, a 52-year-old man, a 38-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, with the men also arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation.

After 16 months of investigation, police informed Rylatt that the Crown Prosecution Service did not believe the evidence was strong enough to charge anyone.

The council said it had taken "robust steps" to strengthen accountability and safeguards at the crematorium and had brought in "experienced industry professionals" to review its procedures.

It also said the service had undergone two inspections "by a leading professional body in the sector", both of which provided positive feedback on the practices they observed.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: "We have completed our investigation into a report that the burial ashes of a person were mishandled.

"In consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, no criminal charges will be brought in connection with the incident."

The spokesperson said they "recognise the circumstances around this incident are deeply distressing for the family" and passed on their condolences.

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