BSM boss avoids driving ban but has 17 points on his licence

The owner of Britain's biggest driving school has managed to avoid a driving ban despite having 17 points on his licence, according to the Sun today.

The newspaper says Abu-Haris Shafi, head of driving school British Sschool of Motoring (BSM) appeared in court after his Volvo was clocked by a speed camera breaking a 50mph speed limit.

But when asked to admit who was driving the car at the time Mr Shafi, 47, refused immediately earning him six points on his licence, on top of 11 he already had.

While it is not unheard of to have more than 12 points on a driving licence those with such a number of points are usually automatically banned from driving for a prescribed period, usually six months.

However, Mr Shafi's solicitor managed to persuade Bournemouth magistrates that banning him from driving would risk his job and stop him taking his mother to the local GP. Instead he was fined £750.

An insider at BSM, which coaches 170,000 Brits a year, told the Sun: "It is incredibly embarrassing teaching learners to obey rules if our driving force is a serial offender."

Meanwhile, Steve Picton, of the Driving Instructors Association, said: "I am amazed he's maintained his position as company head."

Earlier this week it was announced that BSM had signed an agreement with Fiat to supply it with a new fleet of cars to train learner drivers replacing Vauxhall with whom the company had had a 16 year relationship.