Warwick farmer to pay £15,000 for letting muck pollute river

[dutchman]

A Warwick farmer has been fined after a load of slurry spread on his field ended up contaminating a local river.



Brian Hobill from Hogwood Farm in Oxhill got a local firm – A & J Slurry Limited – to spread thousands of gallons of pig slurry on one of his fields back in December 2008.

At the side of the field was a ditch which acted as a tributary for the River Dene.

The muck ended up seeping into the water and the Environment Agency prosecuted both parties.

Mr Hobill admitted breaking the Water Resources Act and was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs. He was also fined an additional £3,000 for breaching a conditional discharge related to a similar offence.

The slurry contractor was fined £500 and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs. The firm was also fined an additional £500 for also breaching a conditional discharge.

An Environment Agency officer, said: “This sends a clear message that the actions which adversely impact the environment are taken seriously and persistent offences will not be tolerated.”