A 15-year-old boy chalked up an astonishing 18 driving penalty points – despite not even being old enough to have passed his test.

The youngster, from Sittingbourne, amassed the huge number for six offences of driving without a licence or insurance.

But tough rules for new motorists in their first two years mean he could have been banned after getting just six points.

Although not yet old enough to have a licence, a ban by magistrates means the youth is still barred from driving when he passes his test.

The teenager features in the top 10 of Kent drivers who have racked up enormous numbers of points, revealed after a KentOnline investigation.

Three of them have kept their licence despite having up to 17 points – even though those who tot up 12 points within three years usually face having their licence revoked.

The statistics, obtained from latest DVLA figures under the Freedom of Information Act, have been branded "outrageous" by road safety charity Brake.

And they come after Herne Bay motorist Keith Baldock – a 34-year-old jobless father-of-two – was revealed to be still driving his van legally with 54 penalty points on his licence.

The county's top 10 of motorists who amassed more than 12 points reveals:

• a 34-year-old Margate man banned after getting 30 points for driving without insurance
• a 41-year-old Gravesend woman banned after getting 21 points for speeding and failing to give information about the driver
• a 22-year-old Gravesend woman banned after getting 18 points for driving without a licence or insurance, having defect tyres and failing to give information about the driver
• a 45-year-old Tunbridge Wells man banned after getting 18 points for speeding and failing to give information about the driver
• a 15-year-old Sittingbourne boy banned after getting 18 points for having no insurance and driving without a licence
• a 23-year-old Rochester man who has kept his licence despite having 17 points for speeding, failing to stop after an accident and driving without due care and attention
• a 28-year-old Hythe man who has kept his licence despite having 17 points for speeding and failing to give information about the driver
• a 46-year-old Romney Marsh man who has kept his licence despite having 16 points for drink-driving and failing to give information about the driver
• a 27-year-old Ramsgate woman banned after getting 16 points for driving with no insurance or licence
• a 33-year-old Dartford man banned after getting 16 points for driving without insurance or a licence and failing to supply a specimen for analysis

Last year, Brake revealed almost half of drivers with 12 penalty points on their licence have not been disqualified from driving.

It said many drivers are successfully persuading Kent's magistrates that a ban would cause "exceptional hardship".

Deputy chief executive Julie Townsend said: "It is outrageous these individuals, who rack up offence after offence, are allowed to continue driving, causing enormous risk to the public.

"Drivers who repeatedly flout traffic laws have shown complete disregard for the lives of other road users. They have also had ample opportunity to desist breaking the law before reaching 12 points and facing disqualification.

"It's time for the government to get tough with these selfish, irresponsible and potentially deadly drivers, and put a stop to their illegal and dangerous driving before it results in a devastating crash."

The DVLA said in a "small percentage of cases" where the driver has racked up 12 or more penalty points, a court can "exercise its discretion" and not disqualify the offender.

It added that in the majority of these case, magistrates might have decided to allow drivers to keep their licence because they have decided disqualification would cause "exceptional hardship".

A spokesman said: "DVLA's role is to record the information provided by the courts. The courts are able to use their discretion to decide whether or not to disqualify a driver."

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