34-year-old allowed on the road even though he has a record-breaking 54 penalty points to his name.
Racking up 12 penalty points on your licence should mean your driving days are numbered. One man from Herne Bay in Kent, however, can legally get behind the wheel even though he has a staggering 54 penalty points ─ more than four times the legal limit.
34-year-old Keith Baldock is believed to be the only driver in the UK with more than 50 points, according to a report by the Telegraph, bettering the previous record of 45 penalty points set by a man from Liverpool.
The father-of-two, who was a tyre fitter before losing his job two years ago, was convicted of drink-driving and banned from driving in 2010. His other crimes include stealing petrol worth £500 from five different cars and five offences for driving a car without insurance, earning himself 30 points from judge Nigel van Der Bijl in one fell swoop.
The judge admitted he was unaware of the previous 24 penalty points because the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) had yet to inform the Crown Prosecution service, which is why Mr Baldock has kept his licence. “I am making no order for disqualification because if [Baldock] is looking for work he will need a car,” the judge said in court.
“At the earlier hearing he was not disqualified, but in fact he should have been disqualified unless there was exceptional hardship,” Francis Lloyd, prosecuting, commented in court. “Unfortunately there is not a great deal we can do about it now – he’s a lucky fellow.”
Figures from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency from between January 15th and September 26th 2012 revealed 8,000 motorists in the UK have more than 12 penalty points. Of the top twenty drivers with the most points, only three are female.
A driver is able to remain on the road after obtaining 12 penalty points if they can persuade the court a driving ban would result in ‘exceptional hardship’.
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