A man, who led police on a 40-minute chase at more than twice the speed limit through Thanet’s streets, has been told he faces a jail sentence.

Sean Whitlock, 26, drove through six red lights, on the wrong side of roads and roundabouts, along a pavement and even avoided two 'stinger' traps.

Police eventually scrambled a helicopter to track the fleeing Vauxhall Corsa as it drove into a pedestrian-only area.

Whitlock, of St Benedict's Lawn, Ramsgate, eventually dumped the vehicle but was nabbed by officers using the chopper's thermal-imaging cameras, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Edmund Fowler told how an officer in Westwood Road, Broadstairs, spotted Whitlock’s car at 12.15am last September driving at speed on the wrong side of the road.

“The officer followed the car along Northwood Road, driving at 70mph just to keep up with the Corsa which was going through residential roads with a 30mph restriction.

“Whitlock drove through red lights without slowing and along Newington Road and Roman Road and taking corners at speed.”

The prosecutor said the car went into Fitzroy Avenue and, ignoring another red traffic light, and on the wrong side of a roundabout at 70mph on the London Road.

The chase continued to the Royal Harbour, past Sandwich Road on the wrong side, again through red traffic lights at 80mph.

"Whitlock drove through red lights without slowing...taking corners at speed" - Edmund Fowler

“He then headed towards the village of Manston ignoring traffic signs and onto Acol where it went around a roundabout three times before heading back the way it had come.”

Mr Fowler said that the first of two stingers - designed to stop fleeing vehicles by puncturing tyres - were then used – but Whitlock swerved around the first one going into a field and back onto the road at 85mph and continuing towards Birchington.

Whitlock then swerved onto a pavement to avoid a police car which had joined the chase and into St James Terrace again through red lights and onto the wrong side of the dual carriageway.

The prosecutor added Whitlock drove over the second stinger but carried onto to Broadstairs pursued by a number of other police cars.

“That stopped when Whitlock ignored no-entry signs and went into a pedestrian area and a helicopter then began monitoring the car which had two people in it.

“Both of then decamped from the vehicle and Whitlock was traced by officers using thermal imaging and he found to have cocaine in his pocket.

Sentence on Whitlock, who admitted dangerous driving, having no insurance and possessing Class A drugs, was adjourned for two weeks for the defence to produce medical evidence of Whitlock’s ADHD.

But Judge Heather Norton imposed an interim driving ban and warned him that he faced a jail sentence.