A farmer who used diggers and bulldozers to illegally rip out bushes alongside a riverbank has been jailed for 12 months.
John Price, 68, dredged a bit of the River Lugg in Kingsland, Herefordshire, and stripped the financial institution of bushes and bushes.
Natural England and the Environment Agency mentioned it was the worst riverside destruction they’d seen and will take a number of many years to be totally restored.
Both organisations launched authorized motion towards Price final 12 months following a joint investigation which discovered the works in 2020 and 2021, that went forward with out being given consent, had been in breach of a number of rules.
Price, of Day House Farm, Kingsland, claimed the works had been to assist forestall flooding to native properties.
However, Martin Quine, an Environment Agency supervisor for Herefordshire, mentioned his actions didn’t have any flood prevention profit.
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust sounded the alarm concerning the works in December 2020.
Price was charged with various offences together with failing to cease agricultural air pollution from getting into the river and eradicating bushes and vegetation from the banks, reprofiling river banks, and finishing up work with out consents in November 2020 and December 2021.
He pleaded responsible to the costs and was sentenced at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday – the primary prosecution underneath farming guidelines for water which had been launched to spice up good follow and to scale back and forestall water air pollution.
He was additionally ordered to pay prosecution prices of £600,000 and disqualified from being a director of a restricted firm for 3 years.
An order underneath the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 was additionally imposed on Price requiring him to hold out restoration works on the 1.5km stretch of the protected river he had destroyed.
Habitats of otters, kingfishers, trout and salmon had been amongst these destroyed.
Mr Quine mentioned afterwards: “The destruction of river banks is not appropriate flood management. It is important that the judge recognised that the works significantly weakened flood prevention measures rather than improved them.
“We urge landowners by no means to take excessive measure reminiscent of this and as a substitute to at all times work intently with the Environment Agency round river administration to agree the very best options for each landowners and the atmosphere.”
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The River Lugg is a chosen Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which suggests any works require a allow from the Environment Agency, and should be accomplished in such a method that protects the realm and doesn’t trigger any impression on flooding.
Emma Johnson, space supervisor for Natural England mentioned: “The destruction of this section of the River Lugg was devastating for the abundance and range of species which thrived in this river. The River Lugg is one of the most iconic rivers in the UK and to see this wanton destruction take place was devastating.
“This is why we now have used our powers as regulators to see that justice was accomplished and to behave as a stark warning to others that we’ll take the strongest motion towards those that don’t respect the legal guidelines that shield the atmosphere and wildlife all of us cherish.”
Jamie Audsley, chief executive of Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, said the sentencing reflects the seriousness of the damage caused by Price.
“We had been shocked to find a bulldozer was used to undertake work within the river, disturbing gravels, reprofiling a financial institution and eradicating vegetation – the episode brought on immense hurt to this particular and much-loved river. The riverbed and its vegetation reminiscent of water crowfoot are residence to crayfish, otters and salmon, lampreys and dragonflies,” he said.
“Whilst it’ll take a very long time to recuperate, we hope that this stretch of river can as soon as once more change into a thriving pure habitat for wildlife. We’re all wanting ahead to seeing it restored to its pure magnificence.”
Source: information.sky.com”