Two ice cream men in Cork face assault charges after a dispute over turf led to a violent scuffle.
Alan O’Halloran, 29, is accused of shoving Frederick Williams, 31, to the ground and dislocating his shoulder, but claims he only did this in retaliation to Williams punching him in the face after reaching into his van and pulling down the ice cream lever.
O’Halloran and Williams had disagreed on more than one occasion in the days before the incident in September of last year. O’Halloran claimed that Williams had blocked his van at several different sites as the two men competed for the best vending locations in Togher, South Cork.
The Togher Garda were contacted and Inspector Bill Duane told the court Williams’ version of the incident: “He admitted he was trying to take a photo but as he did, O’Halloran pushed him and he fell awkwardly, dislocating his shoulder.”
The judge at Cork Court has delayed the case until mid-May, to give both men time to decide their pleas.
The incident reflects the difficult financial situation faced by people in Ireland as the country tries to recover from the recession.
