A Begelly based farm has been handed a hefty fine in court after contravening the requirements of an environmental permit by causing pollution to a river.

A case brought against Langdon Mill Farms Limited by Natural Resources Wales was heard at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Thursday (July 5), after being charged with knowingly permitting a water discharge activity or groundwater activity (namely the discharge or entry of any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, namely farm effluent) at a tributary to the Cresswell River on March 2 of last year.

At the hearing, the company was fined £9,000 for the offence and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £2,825 and a £170 victim surcharge.

This was the second time Langdon Mill Farm have faced a fine in just over a year, after being found guilty of causing pollution of the Cresswell River and a tributary, in January 2016, at a court hearing last June.

On that occasion, NRW officers found that approximately 0.6 KM of the tributary was completely covered by sewage fungus, which is indicative of organic pollution, in this case silage effluent, and the company was handed a £3,000 fine for illegal water discharge, and ordered to pay costs of £3,420 and a £120 victim surcharge

Following the hearing, Matthew Lowe, senior environment officer for Natural Resources Wales, said: “We hope the outcome of this case will send out a positive message to those in the agricultural sector, that Natural Resources Wales will not tolerate wilful negligence when it comes to water pollution.

“Disposing of effluent illegally can not only harm the environment but undermines businesses that invest time and money into operating safely and responsibly.

“It is essential that we take action in such cases and show that environmental regulations are to be taken seriously,” he added.