Ice cream seller smashed up rival's van in turf war

The confrontation last summer saw the vendors squaring up to each other with weapons, a court heard.

Yasar Akhtar, 20, was selling cornets from his Super Whippy van when Tariq Mahmood, 20, sped up in his ice cream van.

Trouble flared in the park on a Saturday afternoon as children played nearby when Mahmood ran to Akhtar's van and smashed every window with a wrench in a frenzied attack.

The court heard he battered the bonnet and doors of the vehicle.

Both men, who earlier pleaded guilty to affray, appeared at Bradford Crown Court.

Elyas Patel, prosecuting, said: "Mr Akhtar had done nothing wrong and was the victim of an unprovoked and extensive attack. His vehicle was given a thorough going over by Mr Mahmood."

Akhtar, of Bradford, then joined in the impromptu battle, striking Mahmood's van with a metal bar

The two ice cream men were squaring up to each other but were arrested at the scene, the court heard.

Mahmood, also of Bradford, said Akhtar should have left the park by 3pm as part of their territory-sharing agreement.

Ian Hudson, representing Mahmood, said his client was working for his father who had sold ice cream for 25 years. The elders in both families had now resolved the issues, the court heard.

Both men were sentenced to 12-month community orders. Mahmood must carry out 180 hours unpaid work and Akhtar 80 hours, and each was ordered to pay 50 towards the prosecution costs.