A Bexley councillor has stressed the importance of businesses "playing by the rules" after a florist from Welling was fined more than £1,200 after being found guilty of 21 charges of illegal street trading.

Bexley Magistrates' Court also ordered the business owner, David McDonald of Axminster Crescent, Welling, to pay £250 costs and a £116 victim surcharge.

The 42-year-old was fined £60 for each of the charges.

McDonald, the owner of Blossoms florist shop in Crayford Road, Crayford, represented himself during the trial of the case.

McDonald had pleaded not guilty to all 21 charges of placing goods on the pavement outside the frontage of his business on various dates between April 8 and August 13 without a trading or temporary licence.

His defence, that he maintained at trial, was that although he was an owner of the business, he did not believe he could be found guilty of something being done by the business which he did not know about.

The prosecution argued that despite a reminder letter for the business to renew its previously expired street trading licence, items for sale continued to be placed on the pavement outside the frontage without the appropriate licence.

It was also said that penalty notices issued for the offences also went unanswered and unpaid.

McDonald was originally summonsed to appear at court in November, but on the date of the hearing the defendant's wife approached the prosecution shortly before the case was called and asked to plead guilty as it was she, not her husband, who ran the business.

Bexley Council claimed the defendant's wife said she had withheld all legal correspondence and summons to protect her husband.

She was told her plea on the defendant's behalf could not be accepted as Mr McDonald was the business owner, he was responsible for the business and would have to answer the charges.

After the court ruling Councillor Peter Craske, Bexley’s cabinet member for community safety, environment and leisure said: “The business owner is ultimately responsible for the business they own. This kind of offence is unfair to businesses that play by the rules.

"I hope this case highlights to other business owners the importance of having the correct licences in place and keeping an eye on how their businesses are being run.”