A 26-year-old man has denied involvement in a burglary at the Sikh temple in Gravesend in which a safe containing about £10,000 was stolen.

Eleazar Allert entered the not guilty plea when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday by TV link with Elmley Prison, Sheppey.

The Siri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Saddington Street was broken into in the early hours of June 24.

Prosecutor Iestyn Morgan said the safe was found. Two others alleged to have been involved had not been caught.

“I am told it is the largest Sikh temple in Europe,” he added.

Allert, of Myrtle Road, Walthamstow, east London, was remanded in custody to stand trial after November 21.

Tarsem Singh Mahil, general secretary of the Gravesend Gurdwara said after the break-in: “It was a great shock to us all.

"Somebody must have known where the money is all kept to do this, but we do no believe it was anything to do with race.

“Three charity money boxes were broken into, the treasury office was broken into and the safe and some cash taken.”

The kitchen window on the ground floor was smashed.