Pensioner killed in hit-and-run and carried for a mile 'deserved better end' say family

Two men have been charged after an 89-year-old pedestrian died when he was hit by a car and apparently carried on top of it for about a mile.

The man, who has been named as Tom Wallace, was struck on the A289 Gads Hill in Gillingham, Kent, just after 12pm on Monday. The retired dentist was found on the ground on Grange Road in the Medway town, a mile or more from where he may have been hit.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. In a warm tribute, his family said he "deserved a better end to his life than this".

Albert Matraxhiu, 28, of Edgware in north London, has been charged with death by dangerous driving, while Erald Paci, 29, of Chatham in Kent, has been charged with perverting the course of justice. Kent Police had been looking for two men after releasing CCTV images showing two people fleeing the scene.

The men, who police said are both Albanian nationals, appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court on Friday. Neither entered a plea to their respective charge.

Victoria McGrady, prosecuting, said the vehicle's front and rear licence plates were removed and disposed of after the collision. The defendants were remanded in custody and will next appear at Maidstone Crown Court on 30 January.

In a statement released via the police, Mr Wallace's family thanked those who had tried to help him. "The residents and postman who tried to help in Grange Road were compassionate and kind.

Our thanks and appreciation go out to them," the tribute read. His family described him as a "respected and loved member of the community" who "deserved a better end to his life than this".

"Tom Wallace, LDS, RCS Eng had been a dental surgeon in the Medway Towns for all his working life. "He had been married for 63 years, was a father-of-three, a grandfather-of-four, and recently a great-grandfather.

"He loved his family dearly and was loved by them in return." The family added: "For years, he was a bell-ringer at the church on Gillingham Green. He was a Samaritan for many years, raised money for the NSPCC and undertook several European cycling tours to raise funds for Marie Curie.".