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Trio sentenced for `sophisticated' diesel laundering operation in Co Armagh

HMRC images taken from a diesel laundering plant in Co Armagh
HMRC images taken from a diesel laundering plant in Co Armagh HMRC images taken from a diesel laundering plant in Co Armagh

THREE men have been sentenced in connection with a sophisticated diesel laundering plant in Co Armagh.

Martin Fitzpatrick (35), a self-employed lorry driver from Main Street, Newry and Micheail Kennon (26), an unemployed farmer from Newtown Road, Belleeks were both sentenced to 18 months in jail at Newry Crown Court after pleading guilty to their part in the fraud.

The sentence was suspended for three years.

Padraigh Doran (33), a mechanic from Macullagh Road, Newtownhamilton, was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for three years, for the same offence of evading duty on fuel.

He was also sentenced for a separate fuel fraud offence after he was caught driving a van carrying 2,400 litres of laundered fuel in November 2014.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers began investigating the trio after a large laundering plant was discovered at Kilnasaggart Road in the Jonesborough area in January 2013.

An underground storage facility which had the capacity to hold more than 100,000 litres of laundered fuel, was found under an agricultural shed.

As part of the operation, HMRC officers seized 39,000 litres of laundered fuel, two fuel tankers, 62 bags of bleaching earth - used to launder the diesel - and 18,000 litres of toxic waste from the site.

HMRC images taken from a diesel laundering plant in Co Armagh
HMRC images taken from a diesel laundering plant in Co Armagh HMRC images taken from a diesel laundering plant in Co Armagh