Three workers at a British water company were convicted last year for obstructing data collection by an environmental protection agency in 2016, the Financial Times reports.

The probe concerned raw sewage spilling on to beaches and rivers in south-east England.

Several of the employees had told the court that they were acting on instructions from in-house legal counsel at Southern Water.

The workers said they were told by the company solicitor not to give data to the environment regulator, even though the Environment Agency depends on such data to properly monitor sewage outflows.

The court was shown a document which indicated a lack of co-operation with environment authorities and conduct which was “…clearly calculated to frustrate the inspection”.

Documents

One management scientist said she was instructed by a lawyer to refuse the agency documents on sewage data.

A statement from Southern Water said that staff members who were prosecuted were fully supported throughout the process and would continue to be, the Financial Times reports.

“They were independently represented in court and all were given an absolute discharge with some later overturning their convictions on appeal. The company was found not guilty