Ben Williams represents United Utilities Water in Successful Prosecution of Omega Proteins Limited

At Bradford Crown Court on 24 July 2015, HHJ Thomas QC, the Recorder of Bradford, imposed a total fine of £100,000 on the Defendant company, which processes animal byproducts, for breaches of its trade effluent consent, granted by United Utilities as the statutory sewerage undertaker for the North West region.

Omega’s plant at Penrith, Cumbria, had discharged effluent which breached 7 different parameters over 2 dates in April and December last year. The court sentenced the company on the basis it had been negligent in its approach and that there were greater demands on UUW’s processes as a result, with a minor risk of significant harm to the natural waterways beyond UUW’s treatment works.

Omega was also ordered to pay costs in full at just under £40,000.

Ben Williams prosecutes and defends in a wide range of regulatory criminal matters, and is experienced in related areas of licensing and public law. He also maintains a substantial workload of serious general crime ranging from homicide to complex fraud, and a practice in Personal Injury with a particular interest in civil fraud cases.