A creamery in Cornwall is being sentenced after it discharged waste from one of its sites into a river - causing unpleasant odours for residents living nearby and killing a large number of fish.

Dairy Crest, which produces the well-known Cathedral City cheddar cheese, appeared at Truro Crown Court on Thursday, May 26 and Friday, May 27 having entered guilty pleas to 21 counts relating to pollution charges as well as breaches of of environmental permits.

The pollution offences took place at the Dairy Crest-owned Davidstow Creamery where waste was discharged into the River Inny and caused the death of a large number of fish.

The company also pleaded guilty to environmental permit breaches by waiting over a month to inform the Environment Agency about the waste discharges as well as breaching odour permits, with residents in the area being subjected to pungent smells from its waste water treatment plant.

At the sentencing, the court heard from the defence how Dairy Crest "was a company with no previous convictions" and had "never been convicted of any environmental offences."

The defence also spoke about how the company had taken over its waste treatment plant in 2016 from another company and had also gone "out of its way to secure a contract to ensure the waste water plant was working properly."

The company's defence said that they were told that the equipment they were using would do it.

Dairy Crest's defence also added: "This is not a company that sought to blame contractors," before Judge Simon Carr interjected, telling them: "Your statement does exactly that."

The court also heard how the company was deeply remorseful about the offences and that there was "no doubt this aspect of the business had been a complete disaster for the company in what is a chaotic market."

It was also stated in court by the defence that there had been a 'rogue' member of staff during this period and that they had thrown polymer into the river's waters and that they "had been the ones that fessed up and told the Environment Agency."

They also claimed: "People that work up in the production site are inclined to think they can do anything they like with the polymer.

Judge Stephen Carr also told the company's defence: "If you have a large organisation, you need to have a system where people are happy to come forward and say 'we've got a problem.'

"Clearly that wasn't the case."

Speaking on behalf of Dairy Crest, the defence said: "We accept that there were residents affected by unpleasant odours.

"We admitted the overspill and we admit that we did not immediately respond."

The hearing will be completed and a sentence handed out on June 23, 2022.