A Co Tyrone farmer has pleaded guilty and was fined £1000 plus court costs of £28 at Strabane Magistrates Court.

Mr Sidney Porter, of Kilclean Road, Castlederg, Co Tyrone, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 9 February 2012, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, inspected a tributary of the Back Burn adjacent to farm premises at Clooney Road, Castlederg, observing it to be visibly polluted, with the smell and colour characteristic of farm effluent. Significant fungal growth was observed both in the tributary and in the Back Burn at its confluence with the tributary. In excess of 400 metres of waterway was affected. The effluent causing the pollution was found to be discharging from farm premises owned by Mr Porter.

-- Advertisement --

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

(CD/GK)