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Swanscombe woman Naomi North to go on trial after death of Bill Roache in Chatham crash

14:06, 17 March 2022

updated: 16:00, 17 March 2022

A woman will go on trial accused of killing a man by driving dangerously.

Bill Roache, 72, was killed while crossing New Road, Chatham in August 2020.

Bill Roache died after he was hit by a car in New Road, Chatham in August 2020
Bill Roache died after he was hit by a car in New Road, Chatham in August 2020

Now Naomi North, 28, of Church Road, Swanscombe has appeared at Maidstone Crown Court and pleaded not guilty to causing his death by dangerous driving.

Judge Philip St John-Stevens has provisionally set a trial date for May 15, 2023 – with the hope an earlier date might be found.

Mr Roache had spent the evening with friends in a pub.

His daughter Pamela Singh, who travelled from Ireland to attend the hearing, said the family had been left heartbroken.

She said: "He was funny, he loved life and he loved a pint.

"He carried on living his life and he loved us.

"We were planning on having a trip over after all the Covid stuff stopped.

"We were all going to go on holiday. The family just wants justice."

Mr Roache, who was born in Dublin on September 13, 1947, moved to Chatham in 1991.

He then worked as an errand boy at Spitalfields market in London and the Arts Council of Great Britain before retiring in his late 50s.

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