Ryan Wellings jailed after partner Kiena Dawes took her own life

A violent and controlling “monster” who subjected his late partner, Kiena Dawes, to repeated assaults, bullying and belittling has been jailed for six and a half years.

Ryan Wellings, 30, was on Monday found guilty of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour by a jury at Preston crown court.

His victim for two years was 23-year-old Dawes, who took her own life, blaming Wellings from “beyond the grave” for her death. The same jury found him not guilty of manslaughter.

On Thursday, the honorary recorder of Preston, Judge Altham, jailed Wellings, a man described by the prosecution as an “entitled, aggressive bully” and by Dawes’s friends as a “horrible little bastard” with a jealous streak who did not like being answered back to.

Dawes, a hairdresser from Fleetwood, Lancashire, was described during the six-week trial as “bright and popular”, “almost universally loved” and someone who went from being “a happy-go-lucky girl to frightened all the time”.

Ryan Wellings was described as an ‘entitled, aggressive bully’. Photograph: Lancashire Police/PA

She took her own life on 22 July 2022 after leaving the nine-month-old baby she had with Wellings at a friend’s house.

Dawes left a suicide note on her phone in which she described Wellings as a “monster” and said: “I fought hard. I fought long. I went through pain no one could imagine … I was murdered. Slowly … Ryan Wellings killed me.”

Wellings was the first person to have faced a jury accused of the unlawful killing of a partner who took their own life after domestic abuse.

Dawes had been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder, an illness which resulted in increased impulsivity, poor self-esteem and difficulty in relationships. It was a vulnerability which, the prosecution said, was “thoroughly and dreadfully” exploited by Wellings.

She had attempted to take her own life in the past, before her relationship with Wellings.

John Jones KC, defending, said Dawes had been a “very troubled young lady” with a history of mental health problems and suicide attempts. He said Dawes’ suicide was due to “multiple” factors.

The judge said he had to sentence Wellings on the basis he had no “criminal responsibility” for Dawes’ death. “However, from May 2020 until her death, you abused, exploited and assaulted her,” he added.

The court heard victim impact statements from Dawes’s family including her mother, Angela Dawes, who said the court case had “violated” her daughter again.

“I have had to sit through an almost six-week trial and watch the private life of my daughter pulled apart and her mental health scrutinised and assessed,” she said. “She has been violated. There is no other word for it.”

Dawes’ brother, Kynan Dawes, said he introduced Kiena to “this monster” and he would regret that for the rest of his life.

“At least now he can spend the rest of his life being viewed as an abuser and a person who beats up women.

“I want people to see that domestic violence is not OK and men should respect their partners by showing them nothing but love and kindness.”

Wellings, a landscape gardener from Bispham, Lancashire, has a previous conviction for battering a former partner, the mother of his twin girls.

He made no reaction except to nod to the judge as he was jailed.

His abuse of Dawes included regular slapping and “ragging” by her hair, an attempt to strangle her with an iPhone charger and threats to throw acid in her face and to use a drill to take out her teeth.

After Dawes became pregnant, Wellings gave her a black eye and began criticising her weight, calling her a “fat little bitch” while contacting escorts and sex workers online.

More than once, police were called to the family home but Wellings threatened Dawes that she would have their daughter taken off them if she told them what was happening, so she declined to help prosecute him.

A final assault “broke” Dawes, leaving her needing hospital treatment. This time she made a statement to police and Wellings was arrested.

He then broke his bail conditions but was not locked up, leaving Dawes feeling let down by police. Four days later she took her own life.

Three Lancashire police officers are facing disciplinary hearings over the case.

• In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org