He couldn't believe it when the DVLA sent to his home a vehicle registration document for a car which was involved in a Dewsbury shopfront crash drama.

Then he received a letter from police chasing up a speeding offence.

Worried that his Shaw Cross address was being used for wrongdoing, he told police and also his landlords Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing.

Mr Gibson, who lives at Windsor Close, didn't worry when the DVLA letter arrived – until he saw newspaper pictures of the car cited on the form. It was a red Proton – the same vehicle which had ploughed into the Peacocks store just days before. But the letter was addressed to a Miss Paula Whitley – uncannily similar to Paul Whiteley who was charged with dangerous driving after the crash.

Mr Gibson drives a VW Beetle and couldn't see how the two cars could have been confused.

Of the later mail, one was addressed to Mr P Whieley and the speeding letter to a Paula Whiteley.

Mr Gibson, 43, said: "I went to the police who said it must be a mistake. But I was worried someone could be using my address for false purposes."

A spokesman for Dewsbury police said: "It seems there has been an administrative error. Paul Whiteley's address is very similar to Mr Gibson's. It looks like this is the DVLA's fault and we advised him to tell Swansea."

A spokesman for the DVLA said: "I can confirm the DVLA wrote to the reader on October 7 regarding this issue."