A man who vanished 20 years ago after being accused of raping a schoolgirl has lost his bid for bail.

Salami Sherifi, also known as Ylli Kalemi, disappeared in 1999 after being given his freedom pending a trial for the alleged sex attack on a 14-year-old in Folkestone.

In February 1999, an arrest warrant was issued by a judge at Canterbury Crown Court when he failed to turn up for his trial.

Last month father-of-five Sherifi , now 41, was arrested after flying into Gatwick from Ireland, where is believed to have lived for the past two decades.

And when he appeared at court he denied being the man who had been arrested after a rape allegation 20 years ago.

He told Judge Rupert Lowe he was Ylli Kalemi but with the same date of birth.

The case was adjourned until fingerprint and photographic evidence confirmed that Kalemi and Sherifi are the the same person.

Defence barrister John Fitzgerald told the court that his birth name is Kalemi but admitted he had also used the name Sherifi in 1998.

He applied for bail until his trial in May - but it was turned down by Judge Lowe who remanded him back into custody.

Sherifi , who had lived in Tontine Street, Folkestone, is accused of raping the young teenager in August 1998.