Toxic sewage dumper fined £1,000

DUMPING toxic sewage into a stream cost a lorry driver £1,000.

Bryan Dobson, of Lawns Crescent, Little Downham used a JK Environmental lorry to empty septic tanks for travellers then poured the sewage into a stream in Wilburton.

Dobson, 34, denied he was the driver and claimed company records that named him as such were false.

But magistrates ordered him to pay a £250 fine and £750 costs to the Environment Agency.

Phil Henderson, senior environment officer with the Environment Agency, said: "This reckless action was carried out deliberately and with complete disregard for the environment of the local area. We are pleased that the court has found the driver guilty and imposed a fine to reflect the seriousness of this offence."

Two witnesses saw the tanker discharging a dark-coloured liquid and contacted the Environment Agency.

Officers took samples and discovered that the polluting matter had the pollution strength of between three and four times that of raw, untreated sewage and that the liquid had potentially toxic levels of ammonia.

The Environment Agency presented magistrates with documents, which placed Dobson in the vehicle on the day, including his own drivers' logbook which, in court, he had admitted completing for that day.

GPS tracking data which traced the vehicle's movements, seized from the company's premises in Royston, was also presented

Mr Henderson said: "The use of modern technology in this case highlights the means we are now able to use to trace and identify offenders who seek to ignore regulations put in place to protect the environment. We would also like to thank the members of the local community whose prompt reporting ultimately led to this conviction."

At a hearing in May, J K Environmental & Sons pleaded guilty to the same offence, namely causing the pollution of a tributary of the Grunty Fen Catchwater Drain.

The company was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £3,083 in costs.