by Julia Roberts

A plumber who drove a convertible BMW, spent more than £17,000 on holidays in just 15 months and kept money under his floorboards was allegedly involved in the "lucrative" drugs market, a court has heard.

Jamie Kingsland, 33, was said to have been involved "in a significant way in the business of selling cocaine".

Maidstone Crown Court heard police found £25,990 in cash at the home of the self-employed plumber in December 2009.

Text messages on his mobile also suggested a link with drugs, said prosecutor Andrew Gardner. One mentioned the word 'dentist', which, the jury was told, was a reference to linocaine - a legal drug often used by dentists as an anaesthetic but also as a cutting agent by those dealing in cocaine.

On the day of Kingsland's arrest, the man to whom he had sent the text messages - Marcus Brookfield - had also been arrested in possession of 150g of cocaine, worth between £5,880 and £7,350, and 90g of linocaine.

A further stash of linocaine weighing 247g was discovered in a recycling bin on Brookfield's drive.

As police stood outside his home in Denbeigh Drive, Tonbridge, Kingsland drove up in his BMW, saying he had come to pick up 35-year-old Brookfield, an electrician, for work.

However, Kingsland was himself arrested and the cash was found at his home in Nelson Road, Tunbridge Wells.

The two men had also been texting each other during the two days before their arrests. "These text messages explain the finding of linocaine on Marcus Brookfield's premises and the timing of Jamie Kingsland's appearance," explained Mr Gardner.

"It was ready and waiting in his recycling bin to be collected by Kingsland. He had no legitimate need, no medical need, for linocaine other than wanting to use it as a cutting agent."

Kingsland denies supplying cocaine between November 2009 and August last year and possessing criminal property, namely cash, in December 2009.

The court heard Kingsland also denies a second offence of possessing criminal property in relation to cash found after he was stopped and searched by police in Tunbridge Wells in August last year.

Kingsland was on bail for the original offence at the time.

They found £545 cash in his pocket as well as a piece of paper with a list of names on it. A further £8,000 and 2,000 euros was found under a loose floorboard at his home.

"This was money generated by his activity as a drug dealer," added Mr Gardner. "It supports the prosecution's allegation that he had another source of income."

The jury was told that Brookfield has already been convicted of possession with intent to supply.

Kingsland's trial continues.