Environmental Neglect Leads to Suspended Sentence for Wellington Dairy Farmer
Source: The DairyNews
A Wellington dairy farmer has been handed a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of repeated environmental violations.
David Bartlett, 70, from Upcott Dairy Farm in Sampford Arundel, was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison, suspended for one year, and fined £10,000 for causing pollution in the Westford Stream, a tributary of the River Tone.
The sentencing, carried out by District Judge Brereton at Taunton Magistrates’ Court, also included a £154 victim surcharge. Bartlett had admitted to three offences related to the ongoing pollution, which has had severe impacts on the local aquatic ecosystem.
The Environment Agency, which prosecuted the case, presented evidence of a long-standing failure by the farm to manage slurry appropriately. Despite previous warnings, pollution incidents continued to occur, with harmful effects extending along 2.5km of the Westford stream. Monitoring equipment installed by the agency in October 2022 confirmed the regular occurrence of these events.
Investigations revealed that Bartlett was using inadequate methods for slurry disposal, relying on a simple pipe system that did not prevent runoff into the stream. Furthermore, inspections showed that the slurry was being pumped onto waterlogged land without any agricultural benefit, leading to significant runoff and further pollution.
The court heard that the lack of a proper slurry storage system, despite funding available for such infrastructure improvements, was a major factor in the ongoing environmental damage. This oversight constituted a serious breach of compliance, leading to the decision to impose a suspended sentence.
The sentencing, carried out by District Judge Brereton at Taunton Magistrates’ Court, also included a £154 victim surcharge. Bartlett had admitted to three offences related to the ongoing pollution, which has had severe impacts on the local aquatic ecosystem.
The Environment Agency, which prosecuted the case, presented evidence of a long-standing failure by the farm to manage slurry appropriately. Despite previous warnings, pollution incidents continued to occur, with harmful effects extending along 2.5km of the Westford stream. Monitoring equipment installed by the agency in October 2022 confirmed the regular occurrence of these events.
Investigations revealed that Bartlett was using inadequate methods for slurry disposal, relying on a simple pipe system that did not prevent runoff into the stream. Furthermore, inspections showed that the slurry was being pumped onto waterlogged land without any agricultural benefit, leading to significant runoff and further pollution.
The court heard that the lack of a proper slurry storage system, despite funding available for such infrastructure improvements, was a major factor in the ongoing environmental damage. This oversight constituted a serious breach of compliance, leading to the decision to impose a suspended sentence.
