Judges Dismiss Ex-Southern Water CEO's Fraud Challenge Over Scheme to Avoid Millions in Penalties
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 22
Judges Dismiss Ex-Southern Water CEO's Fraud Challenge Over Scheme to Avoid Millions in Penalties
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 22
Summary
Two senior judges on Wednesday threw out Matthew Wright’s High Court bid to quash a summons charging him with conspiracy to defraud the Environment Agency and Ofwat.
Prosecutors allege the former Southern Water chief executive joined a plan to manipulate water quality tests, helping the company avoid millions of pounds in regulatory penalties.
The ruling also lifted reporting restrictions on Wright’s challenge, which argued the Environment Agency lacked power to issue the summons granted last year.
Three co-defendants — Philip Barker, 57, Clive Massey, 64, and Mark Gregory, 63 — are charged in the same case, which court listings showed was due at Medway Magistrates’ Court on July 14.