A man was due to appear before magistrates after being charged with 26 offences following a police chase and helicopter search.

Twenty six-year-old Alvin Back of Mangravet Avenue, Maidstone, was charged by Kent Police yesterday.

The charges were brought after officers encountered a man wanted for arrest who was driving in the Maidstone area at around 12pm.

The vehicle failed to stop for officers before it made contact with the police vehicle and a member of the public’s vehicle at the junction with Armstrong Road and Loose Road.

The vehicle then drove away and a police pursuit was authorised, assisted by the police helicopter. The vehicle was located abandoned in South Park Road. Officers arrested Alvin Back in a nearby property.

He has been charged with 17 driving offences as well as one charge of burglary with intent to steal, two charges of criminal damage, five charges of bilking and one charge of possession of cannabis.

The charges relate to various incidents between Monday, January 30, and Thursday, April 28.

He was due to appear before Medway Magistrates’ Court by way of virtual court on today.

A helicopter was brought in to help with the search, in the Shepway area yesterday afternoon.

The pursuit started after officers spotted a man, who was wanted for arrest, driving in the town at 12pm. But he failed to stop and crashed into the police car and then another at the junction with Armstrong Road and Loose Road.

No-one was injured.