TWO men accused of murdering a man whose body has not been found have made a brief appearance before a judge at Maidstone Crown Court.

Michael Kemp, 31, and Lewis Scudder, 32, are also charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Scudder faces a further related charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Kemp, of Scrapsgate Road, Minster, near Sheerness, and Scudder, previously of Noreen Avenue, Minster, and now of Franklin Road, Dartford, are alleged to have killed Paul Rowlands who disappeared on September 2 last year.

Mr Rowlands was last seen alive in Cecil Road, Sheerness.

Kemp and Scudder will return to court on November 22 when they are expected to enter pleas to the charges.

Continuing their conditional bail, Judge Andrew Patience, QC, said: “I am anxious that we do not lose momentum in this case, seeing the nature of it.”