Image source, PAImage caption, Matthew Wright is accused alongside three others of conspiring to defraud the Environment Agency and Ofwat
- Published22 July 2026, 13:46 BST
The former chief executive of Southern Water has been charged with conspiracy to defraud authorities over allegations he was involved in a plan to manipulate water quality tests to avoid millions of pounds in penalties.
Matthew Wright is accused alongside three others of conspiring to defraud the Environment Agency (EA) and water regulator Ofwat.
The EA previously asked a judge to issue a summons against Wright, charging him with the offence, along with Philip Barker, Clive Massey and Mark Gregory.
The summons was issued last year but Wright launched a legal challenge which was dismissed by two senior judges on Wednesday.
Wright's lawyers told the High Court in June that the EA did not have the power to issue the summons and it should be thrown out.
But the judges dismissed his claim and ruled restrictions previously preventing reporting of the legal challenge should be lifted.
Separate court listings showed the case against 60-year-old Wright, of Haslemere, Surrey, Barker, 57, of Chiltington, West Sussex, 64-year-old Massey, of Brandhill, Shropshire, and 63-year-old Gregory, of Southampton, were scheduled to be heard at Medway Magistrates' Court on 14 July.
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