More than 300 banned drivers caught driving in Northamptonshire

More than 300 drivers disqualified following convictions for speeding or other offences have been caught behind the wheel

More than 300 disqualified drivers have been caught behind the wheel so far this year in Northamptonshire.

The county's police force have launched a new campaign to discourage banned drivers from continuing to drive.

Postcards are being sent to anyone who has had their licence revoked, with a warning they will be actively targeted should they be tempted to drive.

The police are appealing to the public for help in identifying disqualified motorists who carry on driving.

Motorists can be disqualified from driving for a number of reasons, from having too many speeding convictions to being caught drink-driving.

A driver who has collected 12 points, perhaps through having four convictions for minor speeding offences, would normally face a six-month disqualification.

Newly disqualified drivers in Northamptonshire will get postcards from the police

A motorist who is caught drink-driving for the second time in 10 years could be banned for up to five years.

The threat of a prison sentence of up to five years for driving while disqualified has not deterred more than 300 drivers from flouting their bans so far this year.

Insp Ian Wills, from the Northamptonshire Road Policing Team, said: "Their actions not only show a contempt for the authorities but are also selfish, dangerous, and irresponsible."

The postcards are being sent to disqualified drivers

He added that the purpose of sending postcards to each newly disqualified driver was to make them aware of the seriousness of their conviction.

The postcards set out the penalties for driving while disqualified, as well as the possible effects of a prosecution on a motorist's career, finances and ability to get insurance.

The text concludes with: "Should you drive, we will be actively targeting you."

Another strand of the campaign is inviting members of the public to tell the police about people they know who have been banned from driving but continue to get behind the wheel.

Insp Wills said: "We are keen to know the names of those committing these offences, what vehicles they are using, where and when they are using them.

"The more information we have the more we can target our efforts to catch them and remove them from our roads."