Decision by supreme court means water companies could be sued for damage caused by dumping of human waste

Water companies could face a spate of legal challenges by people and businesses affected by sewage pollution after a ruling that United Utilities could be sued by a private company for damage caused by the dumping of human waste.

Lawyers said it was a “watershed moment” as the courts had previously ruled that penalties for water companies were a matter for the regulator, and companies could not sue firms for damage caused to their property by sewage pollution.

Amit Gudka is reinventing himself after the failure of his energy firm by plugging into the global battery boom

Britain’s fast-changing energy industry may be just the place for reinvention. In the wake of the unprecedented collapse of Bulb Energy, its co-founder, Amit Gudka, is trying to make the best of his next chapter: by plugging into the global battery boom.

Sitting in a central London coffee shop, not far from the offices of his new venture, Field Energy, Gudka explains how he has swapped home energy customers for battery projects and why he believes he should be given a second chance.