� Two motorists in Havering still have their driving licences after getting 21 points each for committing driving offences.

Figures obtained by the Recorder under the Freedom of Information Act show 58 drivers with 12 or more points are on the borough’s roads.

Under DVLA rules, those who get 12 or more points within three years should be banned.

But one driver in Hornchurch and one in Romford are driving with 21 points each.

Romford driving instructor Chris Bancroft, from Streetwise driving school, said: “I’m pretty shocked.

“The laws aren’t tight enough. If people think they’ll get points on their licence but nothing will happen to them, then they’ll carry on committing offences.”

As of May 16, Rainham had six drivers with between 12 and 16 points each, while Hornchurch had 11 with from 12 to 21.

Hardship

In Romford, 22 motorists were on the roads with 12 points each, and 18 with between 13 and 21 points. In Upminster one person had accumulated 12 points.

Though drivers should lose their licences once they gather 12 points in three years, it is up to the courts, using Magistrates’ Association guidelines, to decide if a ban is appropriate.

A DVLA spokesman said: “In a small percentage of cases where the driver has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, the agency understands that a court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify the driver.

“In the majority of these cases magistrates may have decided to allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship.”

There are 64 drivers in Havering banned after getting 12 or more points – 42 live in Romford; 12 in Rainham; nine in Hornchurch and one in Upminster.