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An ice cream man has been banned by Knowsley council after allegedly running over a man who complained about his chimes.

Richard Martin, of Carousel Ices Limited, lost the licence for his fleet of vans over claims of ‘foul and abusive language’, using his chimes later than allowed, selling cigarettes and other breaches of the council rules since 2010.

The 67-year-old, of Upton Barn, Maghull , has now been charged separately by the police with actual bodily harm over the same incident in which he allegedly swore at a complainant and ran them over in Stockbridge Village on February 21.

The trader, who serves areas in Stockbridge Village, Kirkby and Knowsley Village, insisted he should be treated as innocent unless proven guilty at his trial in July, and called the ban ‘terrible’.

Mr Martin said he was now unemployed, had been forced to lay off assistants and was missing out on peak trading during school holidays and sunny weather.

Knowsley council’s licensing sub-committee said it accepted the member of the public’s account of the alleged abusive language and ‘the other aspects of the incident’, according to the minutes.

Lexley Mctigue, a Stockbridge Village resident, said: “I’m disheartened. I have a 15-year-old son with cerebral palsy and severe autistic traits.

“One of the few things he enjoys in life is the ice cream van, who have built up a friendship with him so much they have his order ready for him.”

The council are pre-judging it - I haven’t been proven guilty

Vickie Gornik said: “The ice cream van chimes are a highlight of day for all the children on our close. I hope he will be able to resume soon, summer just isn’t going to be the same.”

Mr Martin said: “It’s ridiculous - you don’t put someone out of business when someone says they’ve rung a chime, The council showed me some audio of him screaming he had been run over after he came to my van, but it was a joke.

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“I’ve had the vans for 27 years, and I’ve served three generations in Stockbridge Village. My wife is worried to death about us losing our home.

“The council are pre-judging it - I haven’t been proven guilty. I will have lost eight months of business after the trial.”

A Knowsley council spokeswoman said: “The decision was taken to refuse Mr Martin’s application to renew his street trading license.

“Unfortunately, the council has had cause to suspend Mr Martin’s licence on two previous occasions and at both times he was advised continuing breaches could result in the refusal to renew his licence - as is the case now.”

She added that his previous breaches included failing to train and monitor his assistants and operating outside his licensed area, and said the council ‘would not shy away’ from acting to protect young people.