A man has been found not guilty of contaminating fuel which caused dozens of breakdowns for customers of the Tesco service station in Branksome, Poole, Dorset. Prosecutors at Basildon Crown Court claimed a tanker driver, Jeffrey Wheeler, removed diesel from a tanker and replaced it with non-road fuel diesel in Essex at around 3am on September 18. The defence claimed the half-hour window during which the fuel was allegedly contaminated was not long enough for the contaminant to be pumped in.

Tanker driver not guilty

ATM raid destruction

Thieves caused enormous damage to a forecourt shop in Northern Ireland as they forced the shutters and removed the door of a County Antrim petrol station to steal a cash machine. The thieves struck shortly before 2am on Friday, February 19, forcing their way into the petrol station on Priestland Road in Bushmills.

Storm batters forecourts

Forecourts took a battering in the 90mph winds of Storm Imogen in early February with several having to close because of damage to their canopies. Dave Morgan, director of FMS (Forecourt Maintenance Services), said they had been called out to six sites in Devon and Cornwall where damage had been reported. He said: "The last storm we had it was mainly pole signs being blown through, but this time it is under-sheeting being ripped off canopies."

Strong growth for DCC

DCC plc, the international conglomerate that owns Certas Energy, reported strong growth in profits for its third financial quarter. The group said operating profit in DCC Energy was significantly ahead of the prior year, despite the milder winter weather. Acquistions Esso Retail France and Butagaz, also did well.