Cookstown farmer fined £2,500 for pollution offence

A Co Tyrone farmer was today fined £2,500 plus £28 court costs at Dungannon Magistrates' Court.

Mr Derek Allen, of Drum Road, Cookstown, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 12 August 2008, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly the Environment and Heritage Service) observed a foaming discharge which was heavily discoloured and had a strong odour flowing down a laneway and entering a Roads Service gully system.

A fluoroscein dye test carried out revealed that the run-off would eventually discharge to an unnamed tributary of the Ballinderry River. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to a farm owned by Mr Allen.

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

Notes to editors:

1. Mr Allen 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.