A SHOW-OFF yob stuck his middle finger up at police before speeding away though a red light.

Darren Hensby led the patrol cars on a high-speed chase through Brighton after officers had spotted him speeding.

When police caught up with him at a red traffic light, he sped off.

Brighton Magistrates’ Court heard that he went through red lights, and drove the wrong way around a roundabout, and reached speeds of up to 100mph in 30mph zones.

Hensby, 38, admitted dangerous driving, and now faces sentencing at Lewes Crown Court, as magistrates decided his offences were too serious for them to impose a punishment.

Suzanne Soros, prosecuting, said the chase happened in the early hours of March 21.

She said: “Police were approaching a traffic light at Wilson Avenue when they spotted a Rover going towards Woodingdean.

“It appeared to be travelling at a speed in excess of 40mph, so the police turned around to stop it at Falmer.

“He drove through a red traffic light, turning onto the A27.

“The police put on their blue lights, and as they did so he stuck his hand out of the window and gave the officers a middle finger gesture.”

Ms Soros said when Hensby’s car reached the junction with the A27, which was closed off, he turned around and went round a roundabout the wrong way.

He then sped down Falmer Road and Warren Road, turning into Bear Road and then Bevendean Road, then onto Coombe Road and Lewes Road.

Police deployed a stinger to stop Hensby near the University of Brighton.

Officers noted he was in the car alone, and appeared to have inflicted self-harm injuries.

Ms Soros said: “It was prolonged driving with a disregard for public safety at excessive speed, involving showing off on busy roads while disqualified from driving.

“He was pursued by police through residential roads at speeds of up to 100mph.”

Both Ms Soros and Holly Collinge, defending, agreed that the offences would have to be sentenced at the crown court.

Ms Collinge asked magistrates to order a pre-sentence report for Hensby, of Poynings Drive, Hove.

Magistrate William Murphy agreed to order the report, and imposed an temporary driving ban for six months. Hensby will appear at crown court on July 4.