Crime

Woman Found Guilty of Murder After Running Over Boyfriend Outside Home

Published

11 months ago

January 2, 2024

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Woman Found Guilty of Murdering Her Boyfriend

Alice Wood, a 23-year-old philosophy student, has been found guilty of murder after running over her boyfriend, Ryan Watson, outside their home in Rode Heath, Cheshire.

The incident occurred on May 6, 2022, following an intense argument between the couple, who had just returned from a charity event.

sei 185760488 e1ce e17041998499468019868135910520178jpg — Staff at a nearby business reported hearing a ‘life-threatening scream’ as Mr Watson was dragged under the car (Picture: PA)

Staff at a nearby business reported hearing a ‘life-threatening scream’ as Mr Watson was dragged under the car (Picture: PA)

Wood, who was over the drink-driving limit, got behind the wheel and hit her boyfriend’s car, a bin, and a bollard.

Screengrab taken from bodyworn video dated 07/05/22 issued by Cheshire Police showing Alice Wood during her arrest. Wood, 23, has been found guilty at Chester Crown Court of the murder of her partner Ryan Watson, who she hit with her Ford Fiesta near the home they shared in Rode Heath, Cheshire, on May 6 2022. Issue date: Tuesday January 2, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Ryan. Photo credit should read: Cheshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

Cheshire Police released footage of Wood running over Mr Watson and her subsequent arrest (Picture: PA)

She then drove her car backwards and forwards, in what one witness described as a “game of chicken”, before deliberately driving towards Watson to scare him.

The Incident

According to prosecutor Andrew Ford, Mr Watson tried to walk away and stood in front of parked cars, but Wood drove directly into him, turning off the carriageway to hit him.

He stated that Wood drove straight into Ryan Watson for the second time, head-on, knocking him clean over under the vehicle’s front end. Staff at a nearby business reported hearing a “life-threatening scream” as Mr Watson was dragged under the car.

The Trial

Wood denied murder and an alternative count of manslaughter, describing her boyfriend’s death as a “tragic accident.” In her testimony, Wood said the argument had erupted after they accused each other of flirting with other attendees at the party. She broke down in court while recalling the incident’s aftermath, saying, “It was like stepping into a nightmare because I could see Ryan underneath the car. It was like I was in hell; it didn’t seem real.”

BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout photo issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of Alice Wood, 23, who has been found guilty at Chester Crown Court of the murder of her partner Ryan Watson. Wood used her Ford Fiesta as a weapon when she hit Mr Watson, 24, near the home they shared in Rode Heath, Cheshire, on May 6 2022. Issue date: Tuesday January 2, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Ryan. Photo credit should read: Crown Prosecution Service/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. — Alice Wood was reportedly angry after watching her boyfriend ‘click’ with another woman at a charity event (Picture: PA)

The jury took eight hours of deliberation to find her guilty of murder, and she showed no emotion as they delivered their unanimous verdict. Sentencing is due on January 29, and Wood faces a life sentence.

Reaction

Following the conviction, Mr Watson’s family described him as a “bubbly, fun-loving, caring person with a heart of gold” who loved sport and his dogs. They expressed their gratitude for getting justice for Ryan and described how difficult it was to watch the CCTV footage of their son getting hit by Wood’s car and dragged up the road while still being trapped under her car.

Addressing Wood, Judge Michael Leeming said, “You have been convicted of the murder of Ryan Watson.

There is only one sentence that the law allows: life imprisonment. I am required to consider the minimum term you must serve in custody before the Parole Board deems it safe for you to be released. You may never be released. It is a matter entirely for the Parole Board.”