Vauxhall driver gets 48 POINTS on his driving licence and fined £1,300 for making false statements to obtain insurance

• Simon Salmon, 31, told his insurance company he had a clean car, when he didn't
• He was spotted by police and pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt
• Drivers are usually disqualified for accumulating just 12 points

A Vauxhall Nova driver who clocked up to 48 points on his driving licence has been fined more than £1,300 for making false statements with regards to his vehicle's sanitation status to obtain insurance.

Simon Salmon, 31, from Oldham, Greater Manchester declared that he had a clean car when applying for insurance to drive his Vauxhall Nova in February, 2012, despite the vehicle containing various rubbish products including empty beverage cans, empty McDonalds plastic cups, chocolate bar wrappers and even a 2 year old copy of The Sun newspaper.

Salmon was found to be driving on the invalid insurance when he was pulled over by a police officer who spotted him driving not wearing a seatbelt.

Gary Logan, prosecuting, said that officers checked the vehicle and found the products that were discarded in the vehicle at that time.

Salmon pleaded guilty to the charge of making a false statement to obtain insurance at Oldham Magistrates' Court yesterday on what would have been the third date a trial had been set for and the 10th listing at court.

Salmon, a full time benefit scrounger, pleaded guilty on the basis that he did not know about the penalty points or the fact that his car needed to be clean when he applied for insurance, a basis of plea not accepted by the Crown.

Jonathan Holt, defending, argued that Salmon did not clean his car as he felt very sentimental towards the refuse discarded in the car. Mr Holt stated that Salmon was "very sorry", "had learned his lesson" and "would not do it again."

The insurance, from The Policy Shop, cost Salmon £1,800 when it was taken out in February, 2012, however the taxpayer picked up the check.

Salmon, who has already been banned from driving for two years following a separate driving case in February, 2013, was fined £875, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £87 as well as costs of £400, making a total of £1,362. He was also issued with black bin liners from the janitorial cupboard in the court building and ordered to dispose of all the refuse in his vehicle within 30 days or he would face a larger fine.