A man accused of murder after the discovery of human remains in a tent near Canterbury has been refused bail.

The application was made when Richard Donovan, 26, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court.

He was arrested two weeks after the decomposed body was found in undergrowth behind B&M Bargains on the Riverside Retail Park on April 25.

The remains, which could have lain undiscovered for nine months, are thought to be those of 60-year-old rough sleeper Philip Fox. Police were awaiting the results of DNA testing.

Donovan, of Eltham, south London, was arrested as a post-mortem examination was carried out.

Senior investigating officer DI Tony Pledger, said: “We believe the body had been undiscovered for around nine months. We are keen to be able to establish exactly when the man died.

“The man associated with the tent may have been known by people locally and I would ask people to cast their minds back and let us know if they saw him in August 2015 or after this time.”

Donovan will return to court on June 3 for a plea and trial preparation hearing. Judge Jeremy Carey set a provisional trial date for November 14.