Ice cream van operator ‘rammed’ rival in row over beach patches

An ice cream van driver has appeared in court in connection with his alleged repeated ramming of another man’s ice cream van as part of a row about their “patches” on a busy beach in Co Donegal.

Tom Ward (65), of Drumnakilly Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone, is charged with careless driving, the theft of keys worth €50 from the other vehicle, using threatening and abusive behaviour, having no insurance, and failing to produce insurance at Rossnowlagh Beach on July 18th, 2017.

The court heard that the defendant was pleading guilty to the charge of taking the keys, but claimed he had already produced his insurance documentation to gardaí at Ballyshannon.

Sgt Oliver Devaney told the court that the defendant was one of two ice cream van drivers operating at Rossnowlagh. He said gardaí were called by the driver of the other van to say the accused had told him to move the van or he would ram it. He told Mr Ward that he could sell his ice cream wherever he wanted to.

Keys

The court heard that on what was a very busy day at the beach, the accused then took the key out of the other man’s van and rammed the vehicle up to six times. The accused later handed back the keys.

An independent witness, who was buying ice cream for her children at the time, recorded the alteraction.

Defence solicitor John Murray said a Mr McCullough rather than Mr Ward was the owner of the van and that the documents sought would be produced. The insurance matter was then adjourned to a later date.

Mr Murray said there was an ongoing altercation for favourable “patches” on the beach. He said the alleged injured party claimed he was “jolted once” in his statement.

Judge Kevin Kilrane adjourned the matter to January 18th to hear the alleged injured party set out how many times the vehicle was rammed.