Ice cream seller caught trading illegally in Chorley said he thought he was in Wigan (From Chorley Citizen)

Ice cream seller caught trading illegally in Chorley said he thought he was in Wigan

8:00am Thursday 21st February 2013 in News

An ice-cream seller, prosecuted for trading illegally in Chorley, claimed he thought he was in Wigan.

South Ribble magistrates heard that Naeem Kaify, 40, of Plodder Lane, Farnworth, carried on selling ice creams despite having been warned by a council officer that he was trading illegally.

They were told that he’d been seen over three days in July last year selling ice creams in Highfield Road North, Adlington and at Valley View, Bowland Avenue, Brown Street and Redwood Drive, all in Chorley.

He was warned by a council officer but was later seen continuing to trade.

Kaify, who failed to attend court, had told council officers when interviewed under caution that 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 he had come into Chorley accidentally. He also said he had wanted to build up a round before applying for consent.

Kaify was fined £600 and ordered to pay £852 prosecution costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Councillor Terry Brown, who looks after public health issues for Chorley Council, said: “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.”