A Herefordshire farmer who was sentenced to prison after he dredged a mile-long stretch of the River Lugg has had his sentence reduced following an appeal.
Last month, Kidderminster Magistrates Court sentenced John Price to 12 months in prison following an investigation and prosecution by Natural England and the Environment Agency.
Mr Price, a mixed Herefordshire farmer, entered a guilty plea to all seven charges last year.
He was accused of 'obliterating' riverside habitats after he dredged a mile-long stretch of the River Lugg, a protected river, in December 2020.
Mr Price said at the time that he undertook the maintenance works to protect local households from flooding, which were heavily impacted by storms in 2019.
But Natural England and the Environment Agency said the banks of the River Lugg were "damaged" causing "significant and long-term ecological harm".
Now a judge at Worcester Crown Court said he accepted the impact of prison conditions on Mr Price, who is 68-years-old.
Judge Nicholas Cole said the farmer "did not pose a risk to the public but you clearly pose a risk to the environment".
Mr Price will start his prison sentence immediately, serving half of the length of time in prison before being released on licence.
The appeal comes after nearly 15,000 people signed an online petition in a show of support for the farmer.
