A crown court date has been set for a man charged with 18 offences after a series of burglaries and a police pursuit the wrong way on the M11.

Jason Allnutt, of Tithelands, Harlow, will appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on August 18 after he was arrested near the motorway in Chigwell on July 7.

A car was followed by police from Valley Hill, Loughton to Chigwell Lane, and it was seen driving south on the northbound M11 at about 3am.

Mr Allnutt, 47, is charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving without insurance and having an invalid driving licence.

He is also charged with four offences of going equipped for theft on various dates in June and July and burglaries at 10 commercial premises also in June and July.

Four burglaries were at shops in High Road, Loughton, two in Pyrles Lane, Loughton, an Indian restaurant in Theydon Bois, a café in Queen’s Road, Buckhurst Hill, a dry cleaners’ in Station Way, Buckhurst Hill and a food shop in Holloway Road, Islington.

He has been remanded in custody ahead of his court appearance next month.