A weed smoker led police on a high-speed chase after panicking when officers requested him to stop.

Kai Evans, from Strood, was at the wheel of a Peugeot Expert van when a patrol tried to pull over his vehicle in Gillingham Road, Gillingham, on August 14.

But instead of pulling over, Evans sped off as soon as the officers in their marked vehicle put their blue lights and sirens on.

As officers pursued him, through Gillingham, Chatham and Rochester, they witnessed him driving on the wrong side of the road, driving through stop signs, ignoring red lights and mounting pavements. The chase went on for more than five minutes around the Medway Towns.

The 20-year-old only came to a stop when he cashed the vehicle into a wall, damaging his van in the process.

He was arrested and officers smelled cannabis in the vehicle and Evans pointed out to officers where the drug was.

Further checks also revealed he had no insurance or licence to drive the van.

Evans, of Darnley Road, Strood, was charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without a licence, without insurance and possession of cannabis.

He appeared before magistrates in Medway on September 20 and admitted the offences, but Debbie Jones, prosecuting, told the court the failure to stop offence was being withdrawn.

Magistrates were told he drove dangerously on Gillingham Road, Nelson Road, Stockford Road, Canterbury Street and Rock Avenue, in Gillingham, as well as Chatham Hill and New Road in Chatham, and Star Hill in Rochester.

Ms Jones added: “It was August 14 at about 4.20pm and officers tried to make a routine stop on his vehicle and he sped off in it as soon as the marked police car put its lights on.

“He drove through stop signs, red lights and mounted pavements and even drove on the wrong side of the road.

“The vehicle then mounted another pavement and crashed into a wall and he was arrested and officers smelt cannabis and he pointed it out to them.

“He made full admissions in interview.”

James Langridge, defending, admitted his client had made some dangerous manoeuvres while driving. He said Evans has been suffering from some mental health issues and has anxiety and depression.

He added: “He doesn’t have a stable address and is staying with his father at the moment.

“The van contained all his possessions, he panicked, he had cannabis [inside] and was not thinking clearly, he has remorse.”

Magistrates decided to order a pre-sentencing report on Evans and he will return to the same court to hear his fate on December 1.

The bench issued an interim driving ban on Evans until then.