Thames Water loses appeal on £250k fine

摘要

Thames Water has lost an appeal against an environmental fine imposed under tough sentencing guidelines. In June, the Court of Appeal upheld a decision to fine the water company £250,000 for polluting a nature reserve in Newbury with raw sewage - and said it would have upheld a much larger sum. Thames Water was sentenced last August at Reading Crown Court after pleading guilty to breaching permitting regulations, but appealed against the size of the fine. It was the first time the court had considered the application of new Sentencing Council guidelines issued last year. These set a clearer framework for fines based on culpability.