Cheshire, UK: A woman was convicted of murder after disturbing footage showed her driving into her fiancé multiple times, ultimately dragging him for over 150 meters under the car. Alice Wood was found guilty of murder today in Cheshire after the violent incident.
The video, captured on CCTV, depicts an evening that started with laughter and ended with tragedy. Wood, who was spotted laughing and joking with her 24-year-old fiancé, Ryan Watson, at a birthday party, later got into a heated argument with him on their way home. After striking him with her car, Wood rushed to a neighbor’s house, pleading for an ambulance.
During the murder trial, prosecutor Andrew Ford KC described the incident as a result of Wood’s loss of temper during an argument while they were both under the influence of alcohol. Wood denied murder and an alternative count of manslaughter, claiming that the victim’s death was a tragic accident and that she was unaware he was trapped under her car as she drove.
The jury quickly returned a unanimous guilty verdict in less than eight hours of deliberation. As a result, Wood was remanded in custody and faces a life sentence with a minimum term before parole eligibility.
The court heard that the couple had spent the evening at a party in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, with colleagues and clients of the brain injury charity Headway. The situation escalated when they returned home, leading to a confrontation which resulted in Wood using her car as a weapon against Watson.
Wood has shown little emotion as the verdict was delivered. She awaits her sentencing on January 29.
Ryan Watson’s family expressed their grief, stating that the footage of his death was difficult to watch and that there is no sentence long enough for the loss he suffered. In a statement, they remembered him as a young man with his whole life ahead of him.
Authorities reaffirmed the intentional nature of the crime, noting that Wood’s jealousy, combined with the influence of alcohol, led her to brutally kill her partner.
In conclusion, the conviction of Alice Wood for the murder of Ryan Watson brings a tragic and senseless end to a relationship that was filled with promise. The court has handed down a just verdict, reflecting the severity of the crime and the impact on the victim’s loved ones.