From the BBC news website today
UK's most convicted driver jailed
Manderson has an "addiction to cars", the court heard
Britain's most convicted motorist has been jailed for driving while
banned for the 48th time.
Jamie Manderson, 33, from Swindon, has been disqualified from driving
each year since 1988, when he was 15.
The club bouncer's solicitor, Rob Ross, said that, in addition to
being hooked on drugs, Manderson had a "serious addiction to cars".
Manderson was jailed for five months by Swindon magistrates on
Wednesday after admitting driving while disqualified.
He also admitted driving without insurance in June this year, shortly
after a spell in prison.
Jamie is a likeable idiot, really
Solicitor Rob Ross
Manderson has nearly 200 previous convictions, mainly for motoring
matters.
About eight years ago he ran over a 12-year-old cyclist as he drove a
robbery getaway car.
At Wednesday's hearing the court heard how in June Manderson was
arrested outside his Swindon home after a police officer saw him parking a
BMW.
He admitted the fresh offences at the local police station and was
remanded in custody until Thursday's hearing.
Previous hearing
Magistrate Mamie Beasant told Manderson: "If you keep on disobeying
court orders, you will keep being brought back to this court and, I can
promise you, you will go to prison."
She imposed an additional two-year driving ban.
At a previous hearing, Manderson's tally of 48 offences of driving
while disqualified was labelled "unique".
Outside court his lawyer Mr Ross said: "Jamie is a likeable idiot,
really. Jamie suffers from a very serious addiction to cars. He just can't
leave them alone.
"During the 1980s he used to steal cars to order and he made a lot of
money.
"Then, a few years ago, he got addicted to heroin, but it's the cars
he's really hooked on. He just doesn't understand the words 'don't drive'."