A man has been found guilty of assault and controlling and coercive behaviour following a “campaign of abuse” before his former fiancée took her own life.
Ryan Wellings, 30, went on trial accused of the manslaughter of Kiena Dawes after she left a suicide note naming him as her killer. The 23-year-old was a mother to a nine-month-old baby girl.
Wellings was told by a jury at Preston Crown Court on Monday that he was not guilty of killing her after denying manslaughter. However, as reported by the Mirror, he was found guilty of assault and guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour towards Kiena. As the verdicts were read, Wellings, wearing a dark suit and tie, smiled and gave the thumbs up to his family. He also blew them a kiss.
Kiena suffered facial injuries in an assault just days before her death
(Image: Kynan Dawes / SWNS)
The trial was told he carried out a prolonged campaign of abuse before she was found dead on a railway track near Garstang, in Lancashire, in July 2022. The hairdresser, from Fleetwood, had vanished earlier that day after leaving her daughter with a friend along with a suicide note on her mobile phone which said she’d been “murdered” by Wellings. She suffered multiple injuries when she was struck by a Glasgow-bound train.
Wellings, from Bispham, Lancashire, had Kiena’s name tattooed on his neck within a week of meeting her. He claimed their relationship was a “loving” one, she had injured herself, and he didn’t accept his conduct caused her death, while her underlying mental health issues may have caused her to take her own life.
This abuse was a “significant factor” in Kiena’s decision to take her own life, it’s claimed, with Welling’s last attack coming just 11 days before she died. The jury heard about a suicide note Kiena left on her phone, which read: “The end. I fought hard, I fought long. went through pain no one could imagine. No one will know what I went through.
(Image: Lancashire Police)
“I was murdered. Slowly. They tortured me, till there was nothing left. I lost my fight but I didn’t give up my battle. I fought till the end. Ryan Wellings killed me.” The note also said, “I hope my life saves another by police services acting faster” and that she wanted her daughter “kept away from the monster who is called her dad”.
Paul Greaney KC, prosecuting, told the jury: “The predominant thrust of what Kiena was saying in her suicide note was that Ryan Wellings, the defendant in this trial, was responsible for her death. “Kiena’s own words, ‘Ryan Wellings killed me’ represent the prosecution’s case, namely that the death of Kiena Dawes was caused by the unlawful acts of Ryan Wellings and that he is therefore guilty of her manslaughter.”
He said that the suicide note was a “significant piece of evidence” but it wasn’t the sole or even principal basis of the prosecution’s case as Wellings had subjected her to controlling and coercive behaviour and had treated her in an “abusive way” and repeatedly physically assaulted her.
Kiena Dawes was a young mum
(Image: Kiena Dawes/Facebook)
Mr Greaney said Kiena had a personality disorder that can result in increased impulsivity, poor self-esteem and difficulties in relationships and Wellings “exploited this vulnerability”. The jury heard about a series of incidents in which Wellings allegedly abused Kiena, some of which she made notes about on her phone.
The couple had met in January 2020 and Mr Greaney told the jury that Welling’s abuse had begun early in their relationship and there was “pattern” in which he behaved in an “aggressive and violent” way towards her and “then apologised and showered her with affection”.
It’s claimed that they had lived together for a time in Dorset when Wellings had tried to “strangle” her with an iPhone charger and, in another incident, thrown a stool at her and thrown her to the ground, causing her to slash her foot on broken glass.
Mr Greaney said the abuse had continued when the couple moved to Blackpool and Kiena later contacted police and reported that Wellings had given her a “black eye” while she was pregnant.
The jury also heard phone messages she sent to Wellings in which she accused him of “terrorising” her. “You’re a head f*** and you know it will ruin me,” she also wrote. “You’re a bully.” Wellings will be sentenced on Thursday.
If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.
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