A Lancashire man has been found guilty of assault and prolonged coercive behaviour but cleared of the manslaughter of his partner, who took her own life after leaving a note saying she was 'murdered'. Ryan Wellings, 30, was convicted at Preston Crown Court following a six-week trial, but the jury returned a not guilty verdict on the charge of manslaughter.
The court heard that Kiena Dawes, a 23-year-old hairdresser and mother of a nine-month-old girl, died in July 2022. Her phone contained a note in which she wrote: 'I was murdered. Slowly … Ryan Wellings killed me.' Wellings showed no reaction as the verdicts were read, but later smiled and blew a kiss to his girlfriend in the public gallery as he was led away.
Prosecutors said Wellings subjected Dawes to two years of violence and abusive behaviour, including regular slapping, dragging by her hair, and threats to use a drill to remove her teeth or throw acid in her face. Dawes had been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder, and the defendant allegedly exploited her vulnerabilities. Police were contacted multiple times, but Dawes declined to cooperate after Wellings threatened to have their daughter taken away.
Wellings' defence barrister, John Jones KC, described Dawes as a 'very troubled young lady' with a history of mental health problems and suicide attempts. Outside court, Dawes' mother, Angela Dawes, said she was sorry that 'justice has not been done in the way we all hoped' and paid tribute to her 'rare gem' of a daughter. She now has full-time custody of the couple's baby girl.
Wellings will be sentenced on Thursday. Three Lancashire police officers are facing disciplinary hearings over their handling of the case.
