A division of the controversial Church of Scientology has been fined £14,000 for leaking raw sewage into a West Sussex river, poisoning aquatic life.

The Church of Scientology Religious Education College in East Grinstead was found to have breached environmental regulations after local people complained of pollution in a tributary of the River Medway.

The stream bed became coated with grey sewage fungus and dead invertebrates were found more than 350 metres downstream after the college replaced its sewage treatment plant in August 2015.

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An initial inspection by the Environment Agency in September found the new plant was working properly, but by October 2015 residents in the Saint Hill area raised concerns about pollution.

Inspectors found the new plant was pumping out waste water containing volumes of sewage 10 times over the permitted limit.

They took samples from the treatment plant on 19 occasions - 10 of which failed to meet environmental standards.

The college, based at Saint Hill Manor at East Grinstead, pleaded guilty to one offence of discharging effluent into a watercourse and asked for 10 others to be taken into consideration.

It is a subsidiary of the Church of Scientology, which was founded by science fiction author L Ron Hubbard in the 1950s based on his teachings of psychology, extraterrestrials and rebirth.

Scientology has several high profile devotees, including Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

The college was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,566 at Worthing Magistrates Court.

Dave Willis, area environment manager of the Environment Agency, said: "We are pleased that the court decided to impose a significant financial penalty on the organisation today.

"The incident had a serious and avoidable impact on a local watercourse, caused by failing to ensure that the new treatment plant operated correctly.

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"We take these types of incidents very seriously and will do everything within our powers to safeguard the environment and people affected, and that includes bringing those who harm the environment to account for their actions."

The court heard that the college had been aware of the long-standing problem and was therefore negligent, but has since spent a lot of money to get the treatment plant operating properly.

It also heard that no long-term damage was caused to the waterway.

Press Association</s>A division of the controversial Church of Scientology has been fined £14,000 for leaking raw sewage into a West Sussex river, poisoning aquatic life.

The Church of Scientology Religious Education College in East Grinstead was found to have breached environmental regulations after local people complained of pollution in a tributary of the River Medway.

The stream bed became coated with grey sewage fungus and dead invertebrates were found more than 350 metres downstream after the college replaced its sewage treatment plant in August 2015.

An initial inspection by the Environment Agency in September found the new plant was working properly, but by October 2015 residents in the Saint Hill area raised concerns about pollution.

Inspectors found the new plant was pumping out waste water containing volumes of sewage 10 times over the permitted limit.

They took samples from the treatment plant on 19 occasions - 10 of which failed to meet environmental standards.

The college, based at Saint Hill Manor at East Grinstead, pleaded guilty to one offence of discharging effluent into a watercourse and asked for 10 others to be taken into consideration.

It is a subsidiary of the Church of Scientology, which was founded by science fiction author L Ron Hubbard in the 1950s based on his teachings of psychology, extraterrestrials and rebirth.

Scientology has several high profile devotees, including Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

The college was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,566 at Worthing Magistrates Court.

Dave Willis, area environment manager of the Environment Agency, said: “We are pleased that the court decided to impose a significant financial penalty on the organisation today.

“The incident had a serious and avoidable impact on a local watercourse, caused by failing to ensure that the new treatment plant operated correctly.

“We take these types of incidents very seriously and will do everything within our powers to safeguard the environment and people affected, and that includes bringing those who harm the environment to account for their actions.”

The court heard that the college had been aware of the long-standing problem and was therefore negligent, but has since spent a lot of money to get the treatment plant operating properly.

It also heard that no long-term damage was caused to the waterway.</s>The Church of Scientology has been fined £14,000 for polluting a river with raw sewage.

The Church of Scientology Religious Education College - a subsidiary of the organisation - repeatedly polluted a tributary of the River Medway with sewage from its toilets.

The church, based at Saint Hill Manor at East Grinstead, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to one offence and asked for ten others to be taken into consideration at Worthing Magistrates' Court on Friday 27 April.

The organisation was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs totalling £2,566.

The court heard that in August 2015, the church was replacing their old sewage treatment plant, with the new facility built to treat a higher volume of sewage.

The plant was completed and operating correctly when the Environment Agency inspected it in September 2015.

But in October, the Environment Agency was told of pollution in the Saint Hill area.

Investigators traced the pollution upstream to find that the newly installed treatment plant was the source.

Samples taken from the treatment plant found that the wastewater being discharged was over 10 times the permitted limit.

Investigators saw sewage fungus - described as 'a grey, slimy bacterial and fungal growth associated with sewage' covering the stream bed.

The stream bed had been covered for over 200 metres with sewage fungus and sediment associated with sewage.

The Environment agency said in a statement: 'Dead invertebrates were found for over 350 metres downstream of the discharge. '

Further inspections and sampling found that the treatment plant continued to pollute.

The Environment Agency took samples on 19 occasions of which 10 failed water quality standards, it said in a statement.

As part of the investigation the Environment Agency filed a notice requiring information about the design and installation of the sewage treatment plant, details of remedial works and also details of a large gala concert held at the complex.

Solicitors for the church responded with information and stated that although 1,600 guests had attended the concert additional toilet facilities had been provided that were not connected to the sewerage system.

Dave Willis, Area Environment Manager of the Environment Agency said: 'We are pleased that the court decided to impose a significant financial penalty on the organisation today.

'The incident had a serious and avoidable impact on a local watercourse, caused by failing to ensure that the new treatment plant operated correctly.

'We take these types of incidents very seriously and will do everything within our powers to safe-guard the environment and people affected, and that includes bringing those who harm the environment to account for their actions.'

The court heard the church was aware of the long-standing problem and was therefore negligent, but had since spent considerable money on installing new infrastructure to get the sewage treatment plant operating as it should.

They also noted that no long-term harm to the watercourse was caused.</s>The Church of Scientology's Religious Education College-subsidiary has been fined £14,000 after repeatedly polluting a River Medway-linked stream with raw sewage.

The church, based at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead just three miles south of Surrey, has been prosecuted by the Environment Agency after inspectors found 200 meters of sewage during an inspection in October 2015.

A church's annual gala concert, attended by 1,600 guests, led to additional toilet facilities being provided that were not linked to the sewerage system and led to over 200 metres of raw sewage being found.

The church pleaded guilty to one offence and asked for ten others to be taken into consideration at Worthing Magistrates' Court on Friday (April 27) as well as the £14,000 fine and being ordered to pay costs totalling £2,566.

Dave Willis, Environment Agency manager for the area, said: "We are pleased the court decided to impose a significant financial penalty on the organisation today. The incident had a serious and avoidable impact on a local watercourse, caused by failing to ensure that the new treatment plant operated correctly.

"We take these types of incidents very seriously and will do everything within our powers to safeguard the environment and people affected, and that includes bringing those who harm the environment to account for their actions."

The court heard that in August 2015 the church replaced their old sewage treatment plant with the new facility built to treat a higher volume of sewage. The plant was completed and operating correctly when the Environment Agency inspected in September 2015.

But in October the Environment Agency was notified of a pollution in the Saint Hill area and the investigating officer followed the pollution upstream to find that the newly installed treatment plant was the source.

Samples from the treatment plant found the wastewater being discharged was over 10 times the permitted limit.

The stream was visibly impacted by sewage, with sewage fungus - a grey, slimy bacterial and fungal growth associated with sewage and sewage polluted water - covering the stream bed.

Biological surveys of the watercourse showed pollution from the sewage spread for over 200 metres with small dead insects being found as far as 350 metres downstream.

Further inspections and sampling found that the treatment plant continued to pollute. Ultimately the Environment Agency took samples on 19 occasions, of which 10 failed.

As part of the investigation the Environment Agency served a Regulation 60 notice on the defendant company. This notice required information about the design and installation of the sewage treatment plant, details of remedial works and also details of a large gala concert held at the complex.

Magistrates stated the organisation was aware of the long-standing problem and therefore negligent, but has since spent considerable money on installing new infrastructure to get the sewage treatment plant operating as it should.

The court also noted that no long-term harm to the watercourse was caused.</s>Emergency services have been called to the scene of an incident in Worthing this morning (Saturday, April 28) after reports of a car colliding with a metal box by the side of the road.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene of the collision outside Marina Food and Wine in Montague Street at around 10.15am.

Police and paramedics are also attending the scene.</s>These are the results from Eastbourne Magistrates Court, sitting at Hastings, for April 16 - April 19.

Christopher Charman, 29, of Croxden Way, Eastbourne, indicated a plea of guilty to stealing a DVD and eight bottles of spirits from Sainsburys at Heathfield on January 20. He also indicated a plea of guilty to stealing a bottle of brandy worth £27.50, from the same store on January 22. He was sentenced to six weeks in prison. Magistrates said the reason for the custodial sentence was due to “long and lengthy previous conviction.”

Luke McHale, 29, of no fixed address, indicated a plea of guilty to failing to comply with terms of the Sexual Offenders Act 2003 by failing to sign in at Eastbourne police station on March 31 and failing to notify police of a change of address, or that he was of no fixed abode. He was sentenced to 28 days in prison. Magistrates said the reason for the custodial sentence was due to the serious nature of the offence.

Alan Rowe, 40, of no fixed address, indicated a plea of guilty to stealing a bank card. The offence took place at Rotherfield Avenue, Eastbourne, on April 13. He also indicated a plea of guilty to fraud in dishonestly reporting himself to be the card owner to withdraw £250 at Eastbourne on April 13. He pleaded guilty to failing to attend an assessment following a test for Class A drugs at Eastbourne on December 19 last year. Sentencing was adjourned until May 4 for pre-sentence reports to be prepared. He was remanded in custody.

Jerome Anicet, 32, of Harlands Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, indicated a plea of guilty to dishonestly making off without paying for food and wine worth £23.49, from Buffet Time, at Terminus Road, Eastbourne, on March 19. He also indicated a plea of guilty to dishonestly making off without paying for food and wine worth £40.85, from the Cavendish Hotel, Grand Parade, Eastbourne on the same date. He was detained in the courthouse for a period and ordered to pay £64.34 in compensation.

Matthew Clarke, 33, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to being in possession of a pair of hairdressing scissors in a public place. The offence took place at Terminus Road, Eastbourne, on January 27. He also pleaded guilty to stealing a woman’s neck warmer, worth £39.99 from Trespass at Terminus Road, Eastbourne, on February 3. He was committed to Lewes Crown Court for sentencing.

Robert Walker, 64, of Ceylon Place, Eastbourne, indicated a plea of guilty to being in possession of a quantity of cannabis. The offence took place at Eastbourne on March 9. He was given a six month conditional discharge.

Benjamin Lepinois, 25, of Chalons En Champagne, France, pleaded guilty to driving a Renault vehicle on Sutton Road, Seaford, on April 19, while over the drink drive limit. He gave a breath alcohol reading of 55 microgrammes. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes. He was fined £120 and banned from driving for one year.
Worthing Magistrates Court fines the Church of Scientology £14,000 and orders it to pay £2,566 in costs for polluting the River Medway in West Sussex, England, with raw sewage.