Judgment was reserved yesterday in a case in which a man claimed a Mercedes van he had hired was defective.

Mr Peter Finlay said his client, Mr David Bell, of Newbury Park, Clonshaugh, Dublin, had (been given "a wreck" by Annesky (Cloghran) Ltd, of Fairview, Dublin.

Mr Bell is suing Equity Bank "Ltd, of Pembroke Road, Dublin, and Annesley (Cloghran) Ltd for £30,000 damages for negligence and breach of contract.

Mr Peter Finlay said Equity Bank terminated a hire agreement on a defective Mercedes van in August 1993, which was still lying unsold in a garage. In the Circuit Civil Court he said the bank had a duty to sell the van in 1993, when it had some worth.

"The first major seizure of this van took place only 13 months after it had been bought," Mr Finlay said, "and before then exhausts fell off, locks did not work and there were numerous minor difficulties, enough to irritate someone who had handed out £28,000 (for a brand new Mercedes.

"The bank was quite satisfied to hire him a wreck and Annesley (Cloghran) were quite happy to have him drive it," Mr Finlay said.