Clogher farmer fined £5,000 for polluting discharge to a waterway

A Co Tyrone farmer was fined £5,000 plus £37 court costs and £169.47 analysis costs at Newry Magistrates’ Court today.

Malcolm Keys, of Annagh Road, Clogher, Co.Tyrone, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 24 April 2008, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly the Environment and Heritage Service), observed a waterway badly polluted with a heavy growth of fungus on the stream bed.

The source of the polluting discharge was traced to a farm owned by Mr Keys.

A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious and polluting matter which would have been potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving watercourse.

Notes To Editors:

1. Mr Keys was charged under Article 7 (1) (a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 with the offence of making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

2. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.