A visitor to the Isle of Man TT who rode off after being stopped by police, then hit two vans, has admitted dangerous driving.

Florian Camelle Roux appeared in court with a French interpreter assisting him in the dock and claimed in a statement that he had thought he was being hijacked.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to stop for police.

Roux, whose address was listed as unknown, was said to be staying at Douglas Rugby Club campsite.

The 31-year-old has been committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery for sentencing and will appear there on June 13.

Prosecuting advocate Peter Connick told the court that Roux was riding his BMW S1000 RR on May 26, at around 5.30pm.

He was approaching Kirk Michael, following the direction of the TT course.

A police officer on an unmarked bike was following him and radio’d ahead to another officer, due to concern over Roux’s speed and overtaking manoeuvres.

An officer on marked police motorcycle then stopped the defendant at Station Road.

He was instructed to ride forward to a gap between parked vehicles and nodded.

However, Roux then turned his bike around and rode off back towards a junction.

The officer on the unmarked bike tried to block him, holding up an open palm and shouting: ‘Police’.

Roux again initially stopped but then tried to ride around the officer’s bike and collided with it.

The officer reached over and tried to turn off Roux’s ignition, but Roux then set off again, at speed heading towards Ballaugh.

He narrowly avoided a pedestrian but then hit two vans and lost control of his bike, coming to rest on a grass verge.

Roux was said to have failed a roadside breathalyser test and a blood sample was taken at the hospital, but the results of that are still awaited.

Mr Connick submitted that the case was too serious for summary court, saying that while the dangerous driving had been relatively brief, it had been at speed through a built-up area, ending with a collision after highly dangerous manoeuvres.

Defence advocate Helen Lobb said that the defendant had no previous convictions or points on his licence.

She said Roux had handed in a prepared statement in an attempt to explain his thoughts at the time.

He claimed that he believed the officer on the unmarked bike was a hijacker.

Roux also said that he had initially thought that it was someone behind him who was being pulled over.

Ms Lobb asked for credit to be given for her client’s guilty plea and agreed that sentencing should take place at the higher court.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood declined summary court jurisdiction, saying that the maximum sentence for the offence in summary court was six months custody.

Ms Braidwood said it had been an extensive period of extremely bad driving.

Roux has been bailed to reside at the campsite, but Ms Lobb said that it will close on June 11, so he is seeking an alternative bail address.