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A Kent dairy farmer has been found guilty of water pollution after an incident near Ashford in 2017.
Environment Agency officers discovered a spill of neat slurry from an overflowing slurry lagoon that reached the stream. A longer spill of dilute slurry and dirty water from livestock gathering areas that was also polluting the watercourse, via a underground pipe, was found.
Peter Joules was ordered to pay £1,500 plus £5,516 in victim charges and costs by Maidstone Magistrates' Court.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "Good farm management is vital to avoid incidents like this that damage the local aquatic environment and harm wildlife.
"We take these incidents very seriously and do everything within our powers to safeguard the environment and people that may be affected. Mr Joules' farm didn't have the infrastructure to deal with the slurry it produces, which caused a serious pollution incident. In these circumstances we do not hesitate to prosecute."
(CM)
