Woman, 23, ‘used car as weapon to mow down & kill boyfriend in “game of chicken” after they rowed at party’

A WOMAN used her car as a "weapon" to run over and kill her boyfriend after they rowed at a party, a court heard.

Alice Wood, 23, was allegedly playing a "game of chicken" with Ryan Watson, 24, as she deliberately drove her Ford Fiesta at him.

Chester Crown Court heard she then knocked Ryan under the car on her third time of moving it towards him.

Staff in a nearby Chinese takeaway heard a "life-threatening" scream as he was dragged for 158 metres under the car, it was said.

Wood then knocked on a door near where she stopped the vehicle and told the homeowner: "Please phone an ambulance. I think I've ran over my boyfriend."

When she was arrested on suspicion of murder, she told an officer: "It's fine, I deserve it".

Jurors were told Wood and Ryan had been at a party in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, for a user of the Headway brain injury charity.

Ryan, who worked as a support worker for the organisation, was seen "having a good time, being a gregarious and outgoing party guest, having fun and dancing".

By comparison, Wood was a "bit cold" as if she wasn't "best pleased", the court heard.

One guest said she had "clicked" with Ryan during the May 6, 2022, bash but allegedly felt Wood "glaring" at her.

The couple left the party with Wood driving her boyfriend's Fiat as they made their way home.

Once parked, she then got inside her own car where she reversed towards Ryan - almost hitting him, the court heard.

Wood then allegedly drove backwards and forwards as her boyfriend walked away.

Jurors were told she drove directly into him, turning off the carriageway to hit him.

Ryan was pulled under the front bumper and remained trapped under the car's chassis for almost 160 metres.

Andrew Ford KC, prosecuting, said: "Whilst deeply serious and tragic, we say this is a simple case.

"She lost her temper, had an argument with her boyfriend when they were in drunk, in a motorcar.

"Things became fraught, he got out, kicked a door, and she lost her cool and used the car as a weapon."

The court heard Wood was found to have 61 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, compared to the legal limit of 35.

She claimed she had drunk two glasses of white wine, two rums and a glass of champagne.

Wood denies murder. The trial continues.