Ireland Quigley's Point man fined €2,800 over green diesel in BMW
Daniel Harkin, a 22-year-old mechanic from Quigley's Point, was caught with green agricultural diesel in the tank of his UK-registered BMW X5 after the car was seized for no insurance in Carndonagh on 23 April 2024. Customs officers tested the diesel at a yard in Letterkenny the next day, and the State Laboratory confirmed a prescribed marker was present. Harkin faced two charges and failed to attend a Customs interview in Letterkenny on 9 May 2024; he pleaded guilty to one charge at Carndonagh District Court, and the second was dropped. Judge Emile Daly convicted him and fined him €2,800, with six months to pay, as reported on 22 January 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced21 Jan
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Daniel Harkin, 22, a mechanic of Quigley's Point, was caught with green agricultural diesel in the tank of his BMW car.
- The vehicle was a UK-registered black BMW X5 jeep.
- Where
- Harkin pleaded guilty to one charge at Carndonagh District Court.
- When
- The car was seized for no insurance in Carndonagh on 23 April 2024.
- Customs officers tested the diesel at a yard in Letterkenny on 24 April 2024.
- Investigation
- Garda Thomas Duggan asked for the fuel to be tested after the seizure.
- A roadside test found a prescribed marker in the fuel, and the State Laboratory confirmed it was present.
- Harkin failed to attend a Customs interview in Letterkenny on 9 May 2024.
- Charges
- Harkin faced two charges; the second was dropped after his guilty plea.
- Sentence
- The penalty for the offence is €5,000, reducible by half to a minimum of €2,500 at the judge's discretion.
- Judge Emile Daly convicted Harkin and fined him €2,800.
- Harkin was given six months to pay the fine.
- Other details
- Harkin has no previous convictions and is a part-time mechanic earning about €300 per week.
- Legal Aid was granted to Harkin's solicitor in the case, and mitigation arguments were made.
16 statements extracted from the articles
- whatHarkin was caught with green agricultural diesel in the tank of his BMW car. (donegallive.ie)
- whatThe vehicle was a UK-registered black BMW X5 jeep. (donegallive.ie)
- whereDaniel Harkin pleaded guilty to one charge at Carndonagh District Court. (donegallive.ie)
- whenThe vehicle was seized for no insurance in Carndonagh on April 23, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
- whenCustoms officers tested the diesel at a yard in Letterkenny on April 24. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationGarda Thomas Duggan asked for the fuel to be tested after the seizure. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationA roadside test found a prescribed marker in the fuel. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationThe State Laboratory confirmed the prescribed marker was present in the fuel. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationHarkin failed to attend a Customs interview in Letterkenny on May 9, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeA second charge against Harkin was dropped after his guilty plea. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceThe penalty for the offence was €5,000, reducible by half to a minimum of €2,500 at the judge's discretion. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceJudge Emile Daly convicted Harkin and fined him €2,800. (donegallive.ie)
- sentenceHarkin was given six months to pay the fine. (donegallive.ie)
- otherHarkin has no previous convictions. (donegallive.ie)
- otherHarkin is a part-time mechanic earning about €300 per week. (donegallive.ie)
- otherLegal Aid was granted to Harkin's solicitor in the case. (donegallive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 21 Jan2026Mechanic who filled his BMW with green diesel is fined €2,800 in court
Reports the guilty plea, the fine of €2,800, the six-month payment period, the testing timeline from the 2024 seizure, and the mitigation arguments.
convicted, Daniel Harkin, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)Daniel Harkin