CEO cornered over sewage spills and plastic pollution

Southern Water's chief executive, Lawrence Gosden, faced a direct challenge from eco-activists. Women from the Citizen's Arrest Network surrounded him at a conference, accusing him of causing the most serious category of sewage pollution. They presented police with a dossier detailing allegations of illegal spills and financial mismanagement.

The activists specifically cited the recent incident at Camber Sands, East Sussex, where millions of toxic plastic beads, believed to have originated from Southern Water, washed ashore. This event has been described as an ecological disaster, posing significant risks to wildlife and human health due to potential sewage pathogens.

Southern Water acknowledged that a screening filter failure at a wastewater treatment works likely led to the release of the bio-beads. The company stated it began collaborating with agencies immediately after the pollution was reported. This action against Gosden follows similar targeted protests against other water company executives.