most of the lads who work in motorworld and halfords are numptys , and there only experience of ice is fitting speakers in there done up corsa,s (which are usually parked outside)
the only leads you need to swap are the switched live and permanent live , im assuming the iso adapter with the radio plugged straight into the car iso adapter. if this is the case the harness that came with the radio normally have plugs on to enable you to swap the lives.
if it didnt the ICE man has swapped the leads in the back of your adapter on the car and swapped the wrong wires.
if the sony adapter didnt fit into the car plug you should have a adapter harness which mates up all the right wires, the halfords man should have known this , i hope he didnt charge you.
hopefully this helps if not give a bit more detail of exactly what you have got maybe some photos and ill try to help you.
also what car is this for?