SeaJayPea is not talking anything remotely associated with gonads.
R1Geezer is right, however, it is the date of the offence, not conviction, my mistake, don't know why I put that. But the basis for it still stands.
People were delaying the trial, in some cases for as long as a year, by saying they were going to plead not guilty, demanding that witnesses be brought to court etc. then being 'ill' and unable to attend and so on until their previous endorsements (this pre-dates points) had expired. You then send your licence to DVLA, get the endorsements taken off, turn up in court, plead guilty and, because you now have a clean licence, escape a ban.
That is what was happening, and why the law was changed.
R1geezer needs to get a civil tongue in his head, Shame, really 'cos he normally offers good advice.