Student bound for University of Cambridge jailed for at least 18 years for murder of fiance

A philosophy student who ran over her fiance after she “lost her temper” has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years.

Cambridge-bound Alice Wood, 24, claimed her partner Ryan Watson, 24, died in a “tragic accident” when he was hit by the Ford Fiesta she was driving near their home in Rode Heath, Cheshire, at about 11.30pm on 6 May, 2022.

But a jury at Chester Crown Court rejected her account last month and unanimously found her guilty of murder.

Sentencing her on Friday to life imprisonment, Judge Michael Leeming told the defendant: “Prison may be hard for you Alice Wood but you only have yourself to blame for the situation you now find yourself in.”

The three-week trial heard the couple had spent the evening at a party in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, with staff and service users of the brain injury charity Headway, where Mr Watson was a support worker.

Andrew Ford KC, prosecuting, said Mr Watson was seen on CCTV footage “having a good time, being a gregarious and outgoing party guest” while Wood was described by one woman attending as “a bit cold”.

Fellow party guest Tiffany Ferriday told the court she and Mr Watson had “clicked” and Wood was “pretty much left out” of conversation.

But Wood told the court that when she drove Mr Watson home from the party in his car, despite knowing she was over the drink-drive limit, he “flipped” and accused her of flirting with other men.

The student described an argument which continued when they returned to the house they owned in Oak Street.

She told the court she went out to her car to leave but Mr Watson followed.

During his opening address, Mr Ford said “she lost her temper” and “used the car as a weapon”.

The jury was told Mr Watson was trapped underneath the car as Wood drove 158 metres up Sandbach Road before stopping.

The court heard Wood was preparing for final exams in a theology, philosophy and ethics degree at the time and had a scholarship for a part-time research masters at the University of Cambridge.