The owner of a launderette has appeared in court accused of growing cannabis and abstracting electricity.

Phillip Williams, 34, faces two charges of abstracting electricity and one of cultivating the class B drug.

He was arrested along with his wife Leanne after police went to the Rainham Launderette, Station Road, and allegedly found 30 cannabis plants inside a building at the back of the property with an estimated street value of £14,500.

The pair, of Taswell Road, in Rainham, were initially bailed while police continued their investigation. Mrs Williams was later released without charge.

Medway magistrates heard on Tuesday that Williams, a qualified electrician, is accused of abstracting £3,707.85 of electricity from the launderette and £1,957 electricity from his home.

He did not enter any pleas and magistrates decided not to hear the case, sending it to Maidstone Crown Court to be dealt with. Williams will appear there for a preliminarily hearing on Friday, January 24.

The launderette business, opened by the pair in May 2012, employs three people. It featured in the Medway Messenger after entering the 2013 Medway Business Awards.