A water company which polluted the River Crouch would have been faced with an even bigger fine if the Environment Agency had been able to prosecute it, agency bosses claim.

What's the problem? - Roy Hart believes the fine he managed to bring against Anglian Water was a good result. Picture: MAXINE CLARKE 76D821

They claimed their legal history compiled on Anglian Water would have made a bigger fine than the near-record £200,000 imposed last month after a private prosecution by Battlesbridge businessman Roy Hart much more likely.

An agency spokesman said: "We will be changing nothing about the way we investigate and prosecute cases. We believe we could have achieved a bigger fine with our background knowledge of the case and the company."

The agency's comments came as Anglian Water insisted it would not pass on any charges to customers in the wake of the fine imposed at Basildon Crown Court for the pollution leak from the Wickford sewage works.

Mr Hart said: "The agency is clearly arrogant and angry. We got a record fine. How could they have done better?"

Anglian Water said it has still not decided whether to appeal against the £200,000 fine - the second highest ever imposed for sewage pollution in the country.

A spokesman declined to comment on the claims made by the Environment Agency.

Published Monday, April 8, 2002