When police suspect a motoring offence has been committed but don’t stop the driver at the scene, such as when they clock a car on a speeding camera, they send the car’s registered keeper a Section 172 form asking for the driver’s name and address.

It is an offence not to fill in the form or to provide false details and puts six penalty points on your licence.

Registered keepers can be prosecuted for not giving details via a postal notification.

They are sent an official letter telling them of the date and court where their case will be heard.

If they plead guilty by letter, they don't have to attend court. Magistrates can sentence them in their absence.

If they don't reply and don't attend court, providing the prosecution can prove to the magistrates that the letter was delivered to the registered keeper's address, magistrates can deal with the case in the defendant's absence.

In either case, if the total number of penalty points put on the licence in three years is 12 or more, the defendant must be banned for at least six months unless the ban would cause "exceptional hardship".

Whenever the defendant is not present in court, court staff will write to the defendant to tell them of the hearing's outcome - including any driving ban.

The maximum sentence for driving whilst disqualified is six months' imprisonment.

Ignorance of a ban is not a defence.