Ryan Watson was described by his family as “the life and soul of everything he did”. Photo / Cheshire Police / SWNS
Ryan Watson was described by his family as “the life and soul of everything he did”. Photo / Cheshire Police / SWNS
A woman mowed down and killed her boyfriend with her car after they had an argument at a party, a court heard.
Alice Wood, 23, is accused of murdering charity worker Ryan Watson, 24, outside their Cheshire home on May 6 last year by running him over and then dragging his body under the car for more than 150m.
Earlier that evening, the couple had been at a birthday party, a trial at Chester Crown Court was told. But the jury heard that after leaving the event, the couple had an argument and Wood — who was almost twice over the legal drink-drive limit — lost her temper and used her car as a weapon.
Prosecutor Andrew Ford KC said footage recorded at the party appeared to show tension between the couple.
“Ryan Watson was caught on camera having a good time, being a gregarious and outgoing party guest, having fun and dancing,” Ford said.
But the prosecutor said other guests had recalled Wood remained “a bit cold”, and acted as if she was not happy to be there.
After leaving the party, Wood drove Watson’s Fiat Punto back to their home in Oak Rode Heath, Cheshire.
Alice Wood (pictured) appeared at Chester Crown Court via video-link from prison on Friday, charged with the murder of Ryan Watson, 24, who was struck by the car in Rode Heath on May 6. Photo / Supplied
Alice Wood claims ‘she lost her cool’
Ford said Wood lost her temper during the argument with her boyfriend in the car when they were both drunk.
“Things became fraught, he got out, kicked a door, and she lost her cool and used the car as a weapon.”
The court heard that following the row, Wood got into her own Ford Fiesta and reversed towards her boyfriend, almost hitting him.
Watson, a support worker for a brain injury charity, walked away but she allegedly drove directly into him, hitting him and knocking him onto the bonnet of her car.
Ford went on: “She drove straight into Ryan Watson for the second time, head on. This time he did not go over the bonnet — she knocked him clean over, under the vehicle’s front end.”
Staff in a nearby Chinese takeaway described hearing a “life-threatening scream”, the court was told, as Wood travelled the road with Watson trapped under the car.
About 11.30pm, Wood knocked on the door of a nearby house and said: “Please phone an ambulance. I think I’ve run over my boyfriend.”
The jury was told when Wood was arrested on suspicion of murder, she told an officer: “It’s fine, I deserve it.”
She admitted drinking two glasses of white wine, two rums and a glass of champagne, and was found to have 61 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, compared with the legal limit of 35, the court heard.
Wood denies murder and the trial is expected to last three weeks.
