A Whitechapel ice cream and dessert shop has been ordered to pay a hefty fine for illegally dumping waste in the street.

Urban Chocolatier's Whitechapel branch must now pay fines totalling £5,384 - in charges and costs - following a hearing at Thames Magistrates' Court.

The court heard how the shop's bin was overflowing, with bags of rubbish dumped on the pavement beside it.

Tower Hamlets Council environmental services officers contacted the retailer multiple times regarding rubbish spilling onto Davenant Street.

The local authority also raised the fact that the shop's bin was located on the opposite side of the road from the premises.

East London Advertiser: Council officers contacted the business multiple times about overflowing binsCouncil officers contacted the business multiple times about overflowing bins (Image: Tower Hamlets Council)

Council officers issued a notice requiring the business to dispose of its waste properly, before issuing a £110 fixed penalty notice when the issued wasn't rectified.

After continuing to flout the rules, the company was eventually prosecuted for illegal disposal of waste and for breaching their ‘duty of care’.

East London Advertiser: Bags of waste were dumped on the pavement beside the binBags of waste were dumped on the pavement beside the bin (Image: Tower Hamlets Council)

Lutfur Rahman, mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “We will not tolerate businesses using our borough as a dumping ground for waste."

Residents can report fly-tipping on Tower Hamlet Council's Love Your Neighbourhood app or on its website, at towerhamlets.gov.uk/flytipping.