No successful prosecution for petrol stretching

DESPITE the huge garda manpower and effort that has gone into the investigation of petrol stretching throughout Ireland - mostly in western counties - no prosecutions are pending and no prosecutions have taken place, writes Tom Shiel.

The lack of prosecution has been conceded in a letter from the Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, to Mayo Deputy Michelle Mulherin.

Deputy Mulherin sounded a note of frustration about the issue at a meeting of the Mayo Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

She pointed out that the lack of prosecution so far wasn’t due to a lack of investigation as gardaí themselves had checked out up to 300 complaints and Customs and Excise had investigated nearly 50.

However, the Ballina-based TD did refer to the fact that a file on one alleged case of petrol stretching in Mayo is with the DPP and a decision on whether or not there should be a prosecution is awaited.

Highlighting the significant resources that had gone into the various investigations, Deputy Mulherin said there had to be a better way of tackling a problem which had affected so many people.

“Whoever caused this situation (petrol stretching) can rest at ease that they are not going to be caught,” the TD continued.

Mayo Fianna Fáil Deputy Dara Calleary, at the same meeting, said petrol stretching was the one issue that has undermined confidence in justice in this country.

“Hundreds of people who did nothing other than fill up their car with petrol are now paying and they have nobody to blame for it,” he added.

Supt. Tony Healy conceded there were ‘some challenges around prosecutions’ and the garda authorities were ‘trying to overcome those as well’.

The officer stressed that the gardaí, cooperating with Customs and Excise, were willing to continue putting time and effort into getting successful prosecutions.