A "DANGEROUS" drink driver was pursued through the streets of Worcester during a dramatic high speed police chase, a court was told.

Kyle Simmonds, who had no license or insurance and was nearly twice the drink drive limit, ran red lights, made a hand gesture at officers, mounted a pavement and reached speeds of up to 80mph as he fled police.

The 18-year-old of Shepherds Close, Droitwich, admitted a string of driving offences at Worcester Magistrates Courts on Friday, the most serious of which was driving dangerously.

He blamed his actions on losing his job and the breakdown of a relationship.

The matter was considered so serious that magistrates declined jurisdiction, sending the case instead to Worcester Crown Court which has greater sentencing powers.

Simmonds admitted driving a Volkswagen Polo dangerously in Barbourne, Croft Road, New Road, Bransford Road, Graham Road, Watery Lane, Bromyard Road and Solitaire Avenue where the chase finally came to an end when police boxed him in during the early hours of Saturday, April 30.

He also admitted driving with excess alcohol with a reading of 66mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath (nearly twice the limit of 35mcg/100ml), driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Owen Beale, prosecuting, said police activated their blue lights on the A38 in Worcester at around 2.20am but, instead of pulling over, Simmonds 'started using a mobile phone' and 'accelerated through a red light at 60mph'.

However, despite his speed Simmonds found time to make a hand gesture at the officer Mr Beale said.

Simmonds reached a speed of 80mph at one point, activating a speed camera and swerved over to the off-side, mounting a pavement and contravened a no entry sign to go into Graham Road before he was boxed in at Solitaire Avenue.

Mr Beale said: "There is prolonged bad driving at an excessive speed while being pursued by police. This would suggest the top category."

Safina Dinza, defending, said the facts offered by the prosecution were not disputed.

She added: "My instructions are that he had a very difficult situation where he had just lost his job and suffered a relationship breakdown.

"As a result of that he's not thinking clearly and took the action that he did in terms of the dangerous driving.

"That is not to excuse his actions. He has no record of previous convictions and he's of good character."

Magistrates declined jurisdiction for the case.

The next hearing will be at Worcester Crown Court on July 1.

Simmonds was granted unconditional bail.

An interim driving ban was imposed until the next hearing.