Miscreant dying perhaps to open present (8)
I believe the answer is:
offender
'miscreant' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'dying perhaps to open present' is the wordplay.
'dying perhaps' becomes 'end' (dying is a kind of end).
'to open' is an insertion indicator (some letters create an opening in a word).
'present' becomes 'offer' (I've seen this before).
'end' going within 'offer' is 'OFFENDER'.
(Other definitions for offender that I've seen before include "Culprit" , "Committer of illegal act" , "Transgressor, lawbreaker" , "guilty party" , "miscreant" .)