A CONFUSED ice cream man fined £600 for selling from his van in Chorley said he thought he might be in Wigan.
Naeem Kaify was caught selling ice creams in Chorley and Adlington without a permit.
He held a street trading licence in Wigan, but he said he was not sure where he was.
South Ribble magistrates heard that Kaify, 40, carried on selling ice creams despite having been warned by a Chorley Council officer that he was trading illegally.
They were told that he had been seen over three days in July last year selling ice creams in several roads across Chorley.
He was warned by a council officer but was later seen again continuing to trade.
Kaify, who failed to attend court, had told Chorley Council officers when interviewed under caution, he held a street trading licence in Wigan but not for Chorley, and that he was unsure whether he had been in the Wigan or Chorley area.
He claimed that he had come into Chorley accidentally and not on purpose.
He also said he had wanted to build up a round before applying for consent.
Kaify, of Plodder Lane, Farnworth, was fined £600 and ordered to pay £852 prosecution costs and £15 victim surcharge.
Coun Terry Brown, who looks after public health issues for Chorley Council, said: “The street trading laws are there to help protect people’s health.
“Most street traders operate mobile food premises and sell food to the public so they must conform to food hygiene regulations. However, if someone trades without the necessary consent they are effectively under our radar and not subject to proper inspection.
“Also consent means that we can control trading so that it’s not springing up here there and everywhere where it could cause obstruction and nuisance to residents.
We do get illegal traders, particularly during the summer, but we are regularly informed of their whereabouts and we will prosecute if we find them.”