Crown prosecutors have been forced to apologise to a Queensbury man who was falsely convicted of a driving offence.

Michael Cummings, 21, has never had a driving lesson, but on February 8 he found out he had been fined £300, in his absence, and given points on a licence he does not have.

The mix-up happened after a motorist was found to be driving with no insurance in Queensbury last November and gave Mr Cummings' name and address.

When the flabbergasted shop worker received a Court summons at the start of this year, he immediately contacted Bradford South police - and was assured the mistake had been noted and the court appearance cancelled.

But weeks later Mr Cummings read of his conviction at Bradford Magistrates' Court in the Telegraph & Argus.

His mother, Kathryn, of Hillcrest Drive, said: "We didn't know anything about it until it was in the T&A, and it was a real shock. Michael's never, ever been in trouble with the police. He's a good lad.

"You'd have thought they'd have checked the name given against the real culprit's driver's licence, or taken him around to the address he gave to make sure.

"A lot of Michael's friends have been teasing him about it and we've been hoping for an apology to clear his name, but without any sign of it."

Bradford South Police say they confirmed the mistake after re-checking their records.

They then contacted the CPS, asking for the case to be adjourned or discontinued, on January 19. That, it appears, is when the system broke down.

A CPS spokeswoman said: "The police sent a note to Bradford CPS asking for proceedings to be adjourned but unfortunately, because it was either never received or linked up with the file, the case was heard in the defendant's absence.

"Mr Cummings should receive a letter from us very soon, expressing regret at this breakdown in communication."

Mrs Cummings is still angry, however, that it took the intervention of Queensbury Councillor Michael Walls - after her son received a second summons for non-payment of the fine - before the matter was cleared up.

She said: "The policeman who stopped this driver should have come and checked at the address to make sure he was who he said he was.

"This could happen to someone else again."

But a spokeswoman for Bradford South Police said: "The details given were checked against the electoral roll. Officers do follow set procedures to confirm the identity of people and satisfy themselves that they are who they claim they are."