A thief who admitted stealing gold worth more than £18,000 from two jewellery shops in the county is facing jail.

Billy Brazil, 30, stole one ring worth more than £14,000 from a shop in Herne Bay and a belcher chain worth almost £4,000 from another shop in Sittingbourne.

Brazil, of Barrow Grove, Sittingbourne stole the belcher chain from the David Battrum and Son Jewellers in High Street, Sittingbourne on June 25.

The court also heard he stole a diamond cluster ring worth £14,500 from M & M Jewellery Ltd in Mortimer Street, Herne Bay on August 25.

Brazil originally denied the theft allegations when he appeared in court but changed his pleas to guilty when he appeared before Folkestone Magistrates' Court on October 6, however, he will be sentenced at crown court at a later date.

He also faces sentencing over taking his former partner's Renault Clio from Rainham when and led police on chase through Sittingbourne and Faversham before he crashed into a police car.

Brazil took the Renault Clio from his former's girlfriend's home in Rainham on Friday, September 23 and admitted aggravated vehicle taking, failing to stop when requested to do so, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance when he appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court on September 26.

When he appeared before District Judge Leake at the Medway court, he then gave his address as Station Road, Rainham.

At the time the court heard officers spotted Brazil driving erratically and followed him and requested he stop in Murston Road, Sittingbourne, but he failed to do so.

Brazil was followed from Sittingbourne to Faversham where in Wildish Road, he drove dangerously at speeds of 60mph in 30mph zones and also saw him overtaking other vehicles on the wrong side of the road and also saw him jumping a red light.

Eventually officers were able to use a stinger device to deflate the tyres on the vehicle but Brazil kept driving.

The Clio then hit a police patrol car before Brazil tried to run off but officers stopped him and he was arrested.

After admitting stealing the jewellery before Folkestone magistrates' all his cases were sent to Canterbury Crown Court to be dealt with.

Brazil will be sentenced there on a date to be set and was remanded in custody until then.