A HEREFORDSHIRE farmer who caused "ecological vandalism" to the river Lugg has reportedly been released from prison after serving less than three months. 

John Price was jailed for 12 months in April after pleading guilty to seven charges of damaging parts to the river near his home in Kingsland.

In November 2020, the 68-year-old, of Day House Farm, used a bulldozer to move gravel from the riverbed and push it over the banks. Other heavy equipment was also used to uproot mature trees, remove vegetation and reprofile the banks, as well as straighten the river. 

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Despite being issued with a stop notice, Price undertook further work in December 2021, which was further upstream and nearer his home. Heavy machinery was again used, with move gravel removed from the river. 

Although the amount of work done and the length of river affected was less than in November 2020, the river structure was still significantly damaged. 

District Judge Ian Strongman, who jailed Price, said that the farmer had a repeated and uncooperative attitude towards officials, which including him pursuing Louis Macdonald-Amies, the head of operations at Wye and Usk Foundation, for 11.8 miles.

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Price's defence team appealed the sentence, which was heard by His Hon Judge Nicholas Cole at Worcester Crown Court in May.

After hearing of the “practical difficulties” Price, who is autistic, faced in custody as well as other mitigation, including his age, His Hon Judge Cole reduced the sentence to 10 months.  

However, according to the BBC, the farmer is now out of prison after undergoing a tough risk assessment in order to have a "Home Detention Curfew" approved. 

A spokesperson for the Prison Service told the broadcaster that it includes strict rules, which if broken, would result in Prison being returned to jail. 

 

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