A weekly newspaper has been praised by police this week for its part in helping to jail a driver with a string of convictions.

Peter Savage, from Canterbury, was jailed for 180 days and stopped from driving until 2014 by magistrates in Margate, after he ignored his second driving ban in three years.

The roofer’s photograph appeared on the front page of the KM Group-owned Kentish Gazette in May this year following a conviction for drink-driving and driving without a licence or insurance.

An eagle-eyed member of the public recognised his face from behind the wheel as a result of the newspaper article which was shown as evidence during his court appearence.

Praising the Gazette’s role in the saga, Ch Supt John Molloy from Kent Police said: “I am really grateful to the Gazette because we all know the risks posed by drink drivers and people driving without insurance and the harm that they can do.

“But more importantly, this is a really good news story for us working together to say that we can take people who are a threat off our streets.”

Gazette editor Leo Whitlock said: “We carried the original story because it was important that our readers knew about Savage’s blatant disregard for the law.

“This is one of the best examples I’ve seen of why it is firmly in the public interest for our readers to know what criminals look like so that can they help the police to stop them from reoffending.”