Litter offenders who tried to avoid paying fines issued by Bexley's controversial 'litter police' have been prosecuted.

Since the scheme started in October last year, the council's environmental enforcement service have issued 3,000 fixed penalty notices for littering and not cleaning up dog poo.

The first offenders to be prosecuted were fined a total cost of £9,885 at magistrates' court, with another 100 cases pending.

Bexley Council made national headlines recently after Kingdom, the firm behind Bexley's litter scheme, were revealed to be offering a 'bonus' to employees who handed out high numbers of tickets.

Figures released by the council show that 97 per cent of recorded offences from October 2016 to February 2017 involved dropping a cigarette or spitting.

A spokesman for Bexley Council said: "Where offenders do not pay their fines, prosecutions are processed through the magistrates’ court. The first batch of cases went to the court last month, resulting in 25 successful littering prosecutions, with fines ranging from £80 up to £250. Costs were also awarded to the Council meaning some offenders were required to pay £500. Almost 60 per cent of those prosecuted came from outside of the borough."

Speaking about the controversy surrounding Kingdom, a spokesman for the council said they would be reviewing the service.

The spokesman said: "Our service was introduced last year as a one year trial. We will be reviewing it this summer, as planned."

A statement from Kingdom said the allowance was discretionary and only given to employees if they meet all their basic competencies.

Littering is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and those who have been successfully prosecuted will receive a criminal record.