A Taunton pig farmer has been prosecuted by the Environment Agency for allowing slurry to escape from an illegally constructed slurry lagoon causing pollution of the Oake Stream in Somerset, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
James Mitchell, of Hillcommon in Taunton, Somerset appeared before Taunton Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 18 June 2025. Mr Mitchell pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £500 with a £200 surcharge and was ordered to pay £4,365 in investigation costs after the District Judge gave him full credit for his guilty pleas. The fine was based on his means as disclosed to the court and he was given 12 months to pay.
The court heard that the agency visited Orchard farm in 2021, at James Mitchell’s request. The agency identified a slurry lagoon that had been constructed without prior notification and with no details on how it had been correctly sized or engineered.
The visit had been arranged to discuss proposed grant funding for roofing work which it was hoped would reduce the pollution risk. The agency had no objections to roofing work being completed on the condition that the slurry store was made compliant.
