Thames Water, the utility company responsible for serving 15 million households, has been fined £3.3 million following a court hearing at Lewes Crown Court. The company pleaded guilty to four charges brought by the Environment Agency after discharging millions of litres of undiluted sewage into the Gatwick Stream in Sussex and River Mole in Surrey, resulting in the death of over 1,400 fish.
During the sentencing, Judge Christine Laing KC expressed her belief that Thames Water deliberately attempted to mislead the Environment Agency. The company omitted water readings and submitted a report denying responsibility, showing a “deliberate attempt” to deceive the regulator.
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