Man charged with murder of Matthew Tester in Walton-on-Thames

Shaan Mir, 26, of Arlington Lodge in Weybridge, is also charged with attempted murder.
Walton-on-Thames incident
PA Wire
Luke Powell25 April 2021

A 26-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a much-loved scooter fanatic who died after being struck by a BMW in Walton-on-Thames

Surrey Police said officers were called to Church Street at around 2.15pm on Thursday to reports of an altercation between a group of men.

A white BMW 1 Series was reported to have driven at two men in the group, killing one and seriously injuring another.

Surrey Police named 49-year-old Matthew Tester, known locally as Tik, from Walton-on-Thames, as the victim. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Flowers left at the scene near Church Street
PA Wire

A second man, who is also in his 40s, sustained serious injuries and is recovering in hospital.

Shaan Mir, 26, of Arlington Lodge in Weybridge has been charged with murder and attempted murder after being arrested on Thursday, police said.

He is due to appear at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

A cordon was in place behind the nearby Marks and Spencer store, following the incident.

However, police said the incident did not take place in the store’s car park, but in a nearby public access road.

Paying tribute to Mr Tester, his family have spoken of his “humour and generosity”.

His brother said: “Tik was a much-loved  son, husband, father, brother, uncle and friend to so many. Those who knew him will talk of his humour, generosity, willingness to help and his cheeky grin.

“This tragedy has absolutely rocked the family who have been devastated by Tik’s death. The hurt and sadness we’ve felt over the past few days simply cannot be fully quantified and something no-one should ever experience.

“The consequences and ripples of Tik’s death will have a lasting effect on so many lives. No mother should expect to outlive their son.

“Over the past few days, the family have been inundated with condolences, love and such warmth and well wishes from friends across the country –  a testament to the love and affection people have for Tik and his family. This has been of a great comfort.

“Tik is a figure widely known and loved within the scootering community, which have all been rocked by the news of their friend’s tragic death.

“This affection has so far raised over £11,000 from nearly 500 donations from the scooterists worldwide in a GoFundMe and £22,000 from the various JustGiving pages set up to help the family.”

Mr Tester’s daughter said: “Dad taught me how to live. Our favourite thing was just to laugh, because even in our darkest time we did it together.”

Detective Chief Inspector David Springett, who is leading the investigation, said: “This is an extremely difficult time for Tik’s family and I would ask that their privacy is respected to allow them to grieve in peace.”

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