POLICE have defended their decision to tow away and crush a man's car after a database wrongly indicated it was not insured.

Steven Booth's Peugeot was seized by police while he was driving to work through Bolton last month during an operation to catch drivers who use vehicles without tax, insurance or MOTs.

Police patrol cars are fitted with a camera linked to the DVLA database that can instantly tell officers from the registration number if a vehicle is being driven illegally.

Police used Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology, which checks the DVLA and the Motor Insurers' Information Centre.

When officers checked the insurance database after stopping Mr Booth, in Blackburn Road, Bolton, on January 8, they were informed he was uninsured.

His car was held at a compound and later crushed - even though Mr Booth, aged 36, of Trafford Street, Farnworth, did have insurance cover provided by the AA.

A police spokesman said it was the responsibility of insurance companies to keep records up to date and that officers only needed to believe that an offence had been committed.

The statement said: "When deciding if a car should be towed for insurance or licence violations, officers must show reasonable belief' that an offence has taken place.

"Due to inaccuracies on the motor insurance database, officers should not only rely on details held there to constitute reasonable belief'.

"Inquiries into the exact circumstances of a car being towed in Bolton on January 8 are ongoing, but at this stage it appears unlikely that the car was towed unlawfully.

"The insurance policy holder for the car in question signed an official document at the recovery centre on January 8, authorising the company to dispose of the vehicle.

"Despite providing a service where recovery fees can be reimbursed under certain circumstances, GMP has not received any request for reimbursement following the seizure of this car."

Mr Booth denied signing a disposal document.