Somerset farmer sentenced for allowing slurry to run into stream
A dairy farmer from Somerset has been sentenced
A dairy farmer from Wellington has been given 14 weeks in prison suspended for a year and ordered to pay £10,000 costs after he persistently allowed slurry to run off into a stream near his farm.
David Bartlett, of Upcott Dairy Farm, had previously pleaded guilty to three offences relating to pollution to the Westford stream, a tributary of the River Tone.
The 70-year-old was also ordered to pay £154 victim surcharge.
The court heard that the farm had a long history of failing to properly contain slurry and had been warned several times in the past for causing pollution of the Westford stream.
In October 2022, officers from the Environment Agency installed remote monitoring equipment on the stream which confirmed regular pollution events were continuing to occur.
In December 2022 they found significant amounts of sewage fungus contaminating the bed of the watercourse, an indication of persistent pollution.
Continuing upstream towards Upcott Dairy Farm, colonies of bloodworm were evident. These are a species of pollution tolerant organism associated with poor water quality.
Officers also investigated the system used for applying slurry to fields. Typically, farmers will use slurry to provide nutrients to their crops or grass. Bartlett was using a simple pipe to dispose of slurry in a single location.
Bartlett submitted a statement to the Environment Agency in which he made limited admissions, implying others, such as his neighbour and the local authority were responsible. He denied deliberately pumping slurry into the watercourse.
But, Judge Brereton said there were significant aggravating features in the case, including Bartlett having previously been warned over causing pollution, his failure to carry out proper checks or make structural improvements by way of an adequate, compliant slurry storage system.