A “jealous” woman who ran over her fiance after an argument following a party has been found guilty of murder.
Prosecutors said Manchester University philosophy student Alice Wood, 23, used her Ford Fiesta as a weapon against partner Ryan Watson, 24, near the home they shared in Rode Heath, Cheshire, at about 11.30pm on 6 May 2022.
Chester Crown Court heard she “lost her temper” in an argument after the couple had been at a birthday party in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, for a user of the Headway brain injury charity, where Mr Watson was a support worker.
The court heard the pair argued over who was driving home and Wood accused Mr Watson of flirting with a woman.
Wood denied murder and manslaughter, claiming it was a “tragic accident” and she did not realise Mr Watson was trapped under her car when she drove 158m before stopping.
A jury found her guilty of murder and Judge Michael Leeming remanded her in custody ahead of sentencing on 29 January, warning that she “may never be released”.
David Jones, senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor, said: “This was a tragic loss of life of a young man with his whole life ahead of him.
“Under the influence of alcohol, it was clear that Alice Wood’s jealousy was ammunition enough for her to brutally kill her partner.
“Though it will never make up for their devastating loss, I hope today’s conviction brings Ryan’s family some solace, knowing his murderer has been brought to justice.”
Wood and Mr Watson got engaged in September 2020 and bought a house together in October 2021.
The court was shown CCTV footage of the moment Mr Watson was hit by the car, which reversed before hitting Mr Watson’s car, a bin and a bollard.
The car is seen reversing into Sandbach Road as Mr Watson walks away before swerving off the road towards him, appearing to knock him on to the bonnet.
Mr Watson was able to stand but prosecutor Andrew Ford KC told Wood’s trial she drove straight into him for a second time “head on”.
“This time he did not go over the bonnet – she knocked him clean over, under the vehicle’s front end,” he said.
Giving evidence through tears, Wood said she stopped the car and got out after a short distance because she felt it was not accelerating properly.
“It was like stepping into a nightmare because I could see Ryan underneath the car,” she said.
“It was like I was in hell. It didn’t seem real.”
She then knocked on the door of a nearby house and told residents: “Please phone an ambulance. I think I’ve ran over my boyfriend.”
When she was arrested, Wood told officers: “It’s fine, I deserve it.”
Wood, who said she had been awarded a scholarship for a research masters and had been studying for her final exams in theology, philosophy, and ethics, was found to have 61 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, compared with the legal limit of 35, the court heard.
She said she had drunk two glasses of white wine, two runs and a glass of champagne.
‘He will be forever missed’
Mr Watson’s family said in a statement after the verdict that his death has left them “heartbroken” and he was taken from them “far too soon”.
“Ryan had such a big personality; he was a bubbly, fun-loving, caring person with a heart of gold who would do anything for anyone,” they said.
“He will be forever missed. All his family and friends are heartbroken to know we never get to see him again. Words cannot express how devastated and lost we are without Ryan. He touched the hearts and enriched the lives of everyone who knew him.”
Mr Watson’s family said they were grateful to get justice but that the CCTV footage played repeatedly during the trial was “hard to watch”.
“I can’t imagine how scared Ryan must have been at that moment,” the statement said.
“The one person Ryan trusted the most is the person who took his life in such a violent way. I am living in a nightmare knowing my son’s last moments were so brutal.”
They added: “Alice is in prison where she belongs. But no sentence is going to be long enough for what she has taken from us and Ryan, he’ll never get to live his life and fulfil his dreams.”
