Man run over after party had 'clicked with another woman'

Ryan Watson died after being struck by Ms Wood's car, the trial has heard

A man was run over by his girlfriend after "clicking" with another woman at a party, a jury has been told.

Alice Wood, 23, is accused of murdering her boyfriend Ryan Watson, 24, near the home they shared in Rode Heath, Cheshire, on 6 May 2022.

Chester Crown Court has heard the evidence of party guests who had been with the couple earlier in the evening.

Ms Wood denies murder.

The court heard the couple had been at a 60th birthday party for a service user of the Headway brain injury charity, for whom Mr Watson was a support worker.

Giving evidence, Tiffany Ferriday said she sat at a table with Mr Watson and Ms Wood.

She said: "Ryan was the light of the table. He was dancing with us all, he was involving everyone. Alice didn't really seem to get involved."

Miss Ferriday confirmed she and Mr Watson had "clicked" and agreed Ms Wood was "pretty much left out" of the conversation.

She also told the court she felt like she was "getting stared at" by Ms Wood for much of the night.

Attempt to intimidate

The prosecution allege Ms Wood "lost her temper" and killed Mr Watson, hitting him with her Ford Fiesta and driving 158 metres with him underneath the car.

In a statement which was read to the court, the couple's neighbour Elaine Abbott said she heard two people return to their home on Oak Street that evening.

She said: "I heard Ryan shout something like 'oh God, not this again'. I then heard footsteps walking away."

Another person who lived nearby, Rebecca Callister, told the court she was woken by the sound of metal crunching at about 23:00 BST and she saw a man arguing with someone inside a car.

She said she saw the car moving forwards towards the man and added: "It looked like it was designed to intimidate and scare them a little bit."

The trial continues.