A businessman whose family have been operating a mobile takeaway for 30 years in a seaside town locked himself into his van after being ordered to move on by Gardai.
Rory Shevlin was approached by Garda James Marley during the Downings Festival in July, 2016.
Garda Marley said that Mr Shevlin’s takeaway food van had two wheels on the footpath and was blocking the flow of people and traffic.
He asked the chip van owner to move on and park elsewhere but he refused.
Garda Marley called a tow-truck to take the food van away but Mr Shevlin, aged 25 years, then locked himself into the van and refused to come out.
He eventually came out and the food van was moved up the street to another location.
Mr Shevlin, of Dundoan, Upper Downings, appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with endangering/interfering and obstructing at Crockmurleog, Downings on July 29th, 2016.
Pictures of the illegally parked van were handed into Judge Paul Kelly.
The accused man told the court that his grandfather and father had operated the van in the area for 30 years and never had a difficulty with Gardai.
He admitted locking himself into the van but said it was simply not a case of locking up the van and moving on as the van had to be sorted out first.
Judge Paul Kelly said he had convicted himself through his own mouth as he said he parked illegally on the road three nights a week.
He said the food truck did obstruct the footpath and it did interfere with pedestrians.
He fined Mr Shevlin €250.