A 23-year-old woman has been sentenced to life behind bars after she was found guilty of murdering her fiancé near Alsager in 2022.

Alice Wood was convicted of the murder of 24-year-old Ryan Watson at Chester Crown Court last month following a three-week trial.

Ryan was killed on Friday 6 May 2022, after Wood repeatedly drove her car at him in what witnesses described as a game of 'chicken' after she lost her temper.

The pair had returned to their home at the time in Oak Street, Rode Heath, shortly after 11pm that evening, after attending a party in Hanley (Stoke-on-Trent) at which both had been drinking alcohol.

Wood drove Ryan's vehicle home, a Fiat Punto, and both exited the vehicle. At around 11.20pm, Wood was seen on CCTV getting into her own car, a Ford Fiesta, and reversing it out of its space while Ryan is seen walking around in the vicinity.

Alice Wood was convicted of the murder of 24-year-old Ryan Watson last month (Cheshire Police).

Around this time, neighbours reported hearing shouting, doors slamming, and a car engine revving. CCTV shows the Fiesta reversing towards Ryan, almost hitting him.

Wood drove towards Ryan a second time, onto Sandbach Road, knocking him onto the bonnet. Footage showed Ryan walking away from the collision but Wood deliberately drove at him a third time, hitting him and causing him to go under the car.

advertisement

Wood continued to drive for approximately 160m near to Keats Drive with Ryan still under the vehicle, before stopping and presenting at a nearby address. She told the resident; 'please phone an ambulance, I think I've run over my boyfriend'.

Emergency services responded and paramedics sadly pronounced Ryan dead at the scene. Officers attended and spoke to Wood, subsequently arresting her due to the disclosures she had made.

She also failed a roadside breath test and was found to have 61 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, over the legal limit of 35. Upon arrest she told officers; 'it's fine, I deserve it'.