A MAN charged with driving a stolen BMW the wrong way down the A12 during a police chase will appear at crown court.

Unemployed Nathan Saunders, 27, was charged with dangerous driving, handling stolen goods and aggravated vehicle taking following a half-mile chase yesterday.

A black BMW X6 was chased by officers down the hard-shoulder of the London-bound carriageway from Stanway and the car was later found at a campsite near Spring Lane, Colchester.

At a hearing at Colchester Magistrates’ Court this morning, the court heard how other vehicles were forced to move out of the BMW’s path during a “prolonged period” of dangerous driving.

The force helicopter was scrambled to search for the driver.

Saunders, of Aviary Close, London, entered no plea for the charges when he appeared in court wearing a red prison-issue jumper.

He is alleged to have stolen the BMW from Benfleet on December 28 and this resulted in a charge of handling stolen goods.

Following the chase, Saunders is alleged to have taken a Ford Mondeo and crashed into another car while reversing, and was he was charged with aggravated vehicle taking.

He was remanded in custody to appear for a pre-trial hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on March 9.

His defence lawyer, Katie Armstrong, entered no application for bail.

A 25-year-old woman from Benfleet was also arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft of a motor vehicle and was bailed until April 12, pending further inquiries.