Tragic Kiena’s mother slams abusive ex & reveals her baby daughter asks ‘where’s mummy’ – as thug jailed for 6.5 years
KIENA Dawes’ mum today revealed her baby daughter asks “where’s mummy” – as her abusive ex was jailed for six-and-a-half years.
The 23-year-old was repeatedly assaulted and belittled by Ryan Wellings throughout their two-year relationship.
Tragically, Kiena took her own life in July 2022 after telling the world in heartbreaking final note: “I was murdered.”
The mum also told how Wellings, 30, had “killed me” after the thug attacked her just 11 days before she died.
Wellings was jailed today for six years after being convicted of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour – of which he will serve half in jail.
A further six months was added on to the sentence for an unrelated offence of actual bodily harm (ABH) on his friend.
He could have faced a life sentence after being charged with manslaughter but he was cleared by a jury for that offence.
Judge Robert Altham said: “Kiena Dawes was according to the accounts of many witnesses, a popular, vivacious, friendly and kind young woman.
“You repeatedly assaulted and abused her. You would repeatedly hit her, in the messages she pleaded with you to stop hitting her.
“Knowing her previous attempts at suicide and her fragile mental health, you repeatedly told her she may as well kill herself.”
Wellings, who has a previous conviction for attacking an ex, was the first person to stand trial accused of the unlawful killing of his partner after her suicide following domestic violence.
Kiena’s mum Angela today said the monster had “violated” her daughter again by pleading not guilty and forcing the family to sit through a trial.
She also tragically revealed Kiena’s daughter, who was just nine months old at the time of her mother’s suicide, asks her: “Where’s mummy?”
Angela said: “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 has been violated. There is no other word for it.
“It has also been extremely traumatic for me to see Kiena so upset talking to police officers and to look back retrospectively at her so helpless in life and reaching out for help, knowing what ultimately happened to her.
“Watching videos of her crying and upset whilst also pregnant or cuddling her baby has been horrific.
“It is hard enough to watch videos of her having fun and laughing. Ryan Wellings has put me through all that. He could have pleaded to the offences and we would never have faced all that, with the eyes of the public on us all.
“This has been a trauma in itself.”
Preston Crown Court heard the thug “set the scene” for Kiena’s death due to his violent and psychological abuse.
The couple had been in an “intense” relationship for two years that was plagued by abuse.
Kiena had been diagnosed with an Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, which caused increased impulsivity, poor self-esteem and difficulty in relationships.
Instead of caring for his partner, Wellings, who was previously convicted of battering his ex-girlfriend, exploited her condition – eventually driving the mum to suicide.
He would accuse Kiena of sleeping with other people, branded her a “s**g”, threw a stool at her and told her to kill herself.
On one occasion, Wellings dunked her head in the bath and told her: “Say goodbye to your baby”.
He also said he would “make her look like Katie Piper” by throwing acid in her face and threatened to use a drill to take her teeth out.
Tragically, there were five missed opportunities to save Kiena before her death.
The hairdresser reached out to officers either to report that she had been assaulted or give details of the domestic abuse she had suffered five times.
On four of these occasions, officers attended her home in Fleetwood, Lancashire – including some incidents where Kiena was visibly injured.
One of these attacks came just 11 days before the mum took her own life.
Shocking images released by police showing blood pouring from Kiena’s head on July 11, 2022, after Wellings beat her in front of their baby daughter.
In a haunting 999 call, Kiena can be heard begging for help following the horror.
She tells the operator: “Please, please there’s blood everywhere. Please help me…quick.”
Kiena continues: “I really don’t feel very well…I just need to sit down”.
At one point, the mum reassures her daughter as she tells police she “woke up in the hallway” while her baby was screaming.
She adds: “I’m actually pouring with blood. I’ve just woken up. I was unconscious.
“It’s absolutely pouring down my face, but I don’t know what’s happened. Well, I do know what’s happened, but I don’t know what’s happened to the injury.”
When officers arrived at the home, they discovered the mum’s head was bleeding and the bathroom towel rail had been damaged.
Blood was also splattered in the hallway and on a window ledge following the savage attack.
But Wellings was released – leaving him free to threaten the mum in the days leading up to her death.
As Kiena chillingly said herself: “I was in hospital longer than he was in the cells.”
Many domestic abuse victims are driven to suicide – the law must change
By Harriet Wistrich, Director of the Centre for Women’s Justice
KIENA DAWES took her own life after suffering two-and-half years of hideous abuse at the hands of ex-partner Ryan Wellings.
Figures show those driven to suicide by partners now outnumber victims killed by their tormentors.
In England and Wales, 93 people are suspected to have taken their own lives between April 2022 and March 2023 after being abused.
While 80 people were killed by a current or former partner.
I believe these figures, while shocking, are unreliable. It is only something we have become more aware of recently.
Anecdotally and from organisations that support bereaved families, my sense is suicide is three to five times more common than homicide following domestic abuse.
And I think research will eventually establish just how frequent.
At Centre for Women’s Justice we are working with a number of such cases and it is important that the justice system continues to prosecute with the full force of the law.
The question in Kiena’s case is whether the jury fully understood how Wellings’ behaviour affected her.
The legal test is whether that behaviour was a significant cause of her action.
Perhaps the jury felt they could not convict him for manslaughter, because they believed Kiena would have taken her own life anyway.
I believe Kiena was being isolated and when she sought help from the police they failed her.
She then decided there was no other option than suicide.
Kiena’s family and campaigners really wanted her case to establish a strong precedent that would help other women in a similar situation.
They feel that justice was not delivered.
But the family’s courage in speaking out means they have helped raise awareness about domestic abuse as a potential cause of suicide.
And that can help contribute to changes in the law and practice that are needed.
On July 22, 2022, Kiena drove to a friend’s home and let herself in while the pal was in the shower.
Footage released by police shows the hairdresser walking up to the front door with her nine-month-old baby girl.
Kiena then leaves her daughter inside, along with the heartbreaking note.
This read: “The end. I fought hard, I fought long. I went through pain no one could imagine.
“I was murdered. Ryan Wellings killed me. He ruined every bit of strength I had left. I didn’t deserve it.
“I hope my life saves another by police services acting faster. Don’t let bullies live free.”
Kiena then apologised to her daughter for having to “let you go” and told how the world had “turned their back on me”.
The hairdresser, from Fleetwood in Lancashire, travelled to a country lane and was later struck by a high-speed train.
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC said Kiena’s own words represented the prosecution case, that her death was caused by Wellings’ actions.
Even after her death, the monster failed to show any remorse – sharing a vile video on Facebook just one hour after he was charged with manslaughter.
Wellings could be seen in a car with sunglasses on as loud music blared in the background.
He said: “I’m driving around with a bottle of Prosecco.
“I have been told off an hour ago on a manslaughter charge. It’s all f****** shit.
“(Kiena’s mother), you need to take the blame for abandoning your daughter and going to Greece. You are a f****** s**g.”
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123
Lancashire Police, whose handling of the Nicola Bulley case was widely criticised, referred themselves to the police watchdog following her death.
The mum had begged them for help and documented her injuries during the abuse campaign.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct launched a probe into whether officers acted quickly enough following concerns for Kiena’s safety.
It previously announced one officer would face gross misconduct proceedings, with two others accused of misconduct.
Wellings was jailed for four years for coercive behaviour and two years for assaulting Kiena.
He was also handed a further six months consecutive custody for an unrelated assault on one of his friends in July 2023.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.