A PAIR of fraudsters conned grieving families out of thousands of pounds by promising funerals they knew would never take place, a court has heard.

Mark Kerbey, 60, and Jeffrey Johns, 53, booked and charged families for funerals despite knowing Mr Kerbey was banned from doing so, Basildon Crown Court was told yesterday.

The court heard Kerbey, of Brecon House, Westcliff, put ice and bin bags into a coffin with a body in it in a bid to preserve the body, which he stored at his shop after being unable to hold the service he promised.

Kerbey and Johns, of no fixed address, are standing trial charged with fraud.

Prosecuting, Adam Budworth, told the jury: “The first count involves the two men charging and booking a funeral at Bowers Gifford Crematorium when Mr Kerbey was banned from doing so and we say both men were fully aware of this.

“He told the family when to be ready and cars took them to the crematorium but they were told nothing was booked so he told them to hold it at his shop in Westcliff.

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“There was not enough room and the coffin was unsteady and fragile table, but days later the coffin and body was still in the shop and was not kept refrigerated.”

Mr Budworth told the jury that Kerbey charged the grieving wife £2,465 and kept the body in his shop.

He added: “In the second count, one family was charged £4,789 for a funeral at Southend Cemetery, and he used a fake company name of the Polish Funeral Company.

“He told the family Southend Council stopped it as they didn’t like him.

“When the son went to see his father’s body they found he still had a cannula in his hand with blood on it.”

The jury was also told Kerby told one son he couldn’t shave his father as his father’s face would crack.

Mr Budworth told the jury Kerbey claimed documents needed for burials and cremations were stolen and missing, while also blaming the council and crematorium staff for funerals not being held.

Both funderals would have been in 2020.

The two men deny the charges and trial continues.