This is the moment Kiena Dawes’ cowardly ex sobbed as he was arrested over the death of the young mum he terrorised.
Ryan Wellings can be seen sitting in the van wiping tears from his eyes after being arrested for manslaughter. Footage released by Lancashire Police showed the heavily tattooed thug being walked to the van and engaging in a brief conversation with officers.
He’s told that any discussion with police must be recorded at the station. The landscape gardener, from Bispham, was taken into custody after hairdresser Kiena, 23, tragically took her own life after two years of domestic abuse and violence.
She left their eight-month-old daughter with a friend in July 2022 and in a heart-wrenching suicide note stating “I was murdered” and that Wellings had “killed me”.
Following a trial at Preston Crown Court, Wellings was found not guilty of killing Kiena after denying manslaughter, but was found guilty of assault and guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour towards her. He will be sentenced on Thursday (January 16).
Ryan Wellings being arrested
During a six-week trial, the jury heard that almost from the beginning of their relationship Wellings repeatedly subjected Kiena to controlling and coercive behaviour, abuse and violence over a prolonged period to “grind” her down. She had been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder – resulting in increased impulsivity, poor self-esteem and difficulty in relationships.
The court heard Wellings allegedly exploited her mental health condition, and while the condition played a part in her decision to take her own life, so too did his abusive behaviour. Kiena first met Wellings in January 2020 and was “swept off her feet”, the court was told.
He had her name and face tattooed on his body within a week and proposed marriage within three months. But Kiena told a friend their relationship was a “fairytale that had turned into a nightmare”.
Kiena Dawes
She said she suffered regular violence from Wellings and threats, including using a drill on her teeth and acid to disfigure her. On the day she died, Kiena left her baby daughter, still in her car seat, at a friend’s house.
She then drove to a nearby railway line where she killed herself. She had left her mobile phone alongside the baby with her suicide note.
It read: “The end. I fought hard, I fought long. I went through pain no one could imagine. No one will know what I went threw. 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.”
You don’t have to suffer in silence if you’re struggling with your mental health.
Here are some groups you can contact:
Samaritans: Phone 116 123, 24 hours a day, or email jo@samaritans.org, in confidence.
Childline: Phone 0800 1111. Calls are free and won’t show up on your bill.
PAPYRUS: Suicide prevention charity offering professional help and support to children, young people and anyone concerned for someone struggling with life. Call HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039 967 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.
Depression Alliance: A charity for people with depression. No helpline, but it offers useful resources and links to other information.
Students Against Depression: A website for students who are depressed, have low mood, or are suicidal. Click here to visit.
Bullying UK: A website for both children and adults affected by bullying. Click here.
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): For young men who are feeling unhappy. There is a helpline: 0800 58 58 58 or visit the website.
Subscribe to our new weekly newsletter THE COURT FILES and get all the biggest stories from Lancashire’s courts direct to your inbox