New lover of ‘torturer’ boyfriend who was accused of driving tragic Kiena Dawes to her loss of life loses her job after he blew her a kiss in court docket
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A beautician was asked to step down from her job after her fiancé was cleared of manslaughter over the death of his ex-girlfriend who he abused and controlled for two years.
After years of sickening abuse from Ryan Wellings, 30, Kiena Dawes, 23, wrote a suicide note saying, ‘Ryan Wellings killed me’, before leaving their nine-month-old daughter with a friend and taking her own life on a railway line on July 22, 2022.
Although violent Wellings, 30, was cleared of manslaughter this week, he was convicted of assault and coercive control for two years of violence and abuse, and will be sentenced on Thursday, facing a maximum of five years in jail on each count.
Wellings’ new partner, nail technician Emma Croft, and his mother Lisa Green now also face a police investigation for allegedly ‘coaching’ him to give evidence, following the case at Preston Crown Court.
Croft, 28, has agreed to ‘step down’ from her job as at a Beauty Salon in Blackpool after the owner found the controversy surrounding her alleged involvement in the case was harming business, MailOnline can reveal.
But over Christmas before Wellings had been cleared of manslaughter charges against him, he gifted Croft, a lookalike of Kiena, a spa day treat.
On December 25th, Croft proudly posted on Instagram an image of the Virgin Experience Day card for the spa day at Bibby Hall in Lancashire, the gift from Wellings.
The two-hour long ‘weekday evening Aqua Thermal Experience’ for two is only valid until December 31, 2025.
Ryan Wellings’ (left) new partner, nail technician Emma Croft (right), and his mother Lisa Green now face a police investigation for allegedly ‘coaching’ him to give evidence, following the case at Preston Crown Court
Kiena Dawes (pictured), 23, went missing from her home in Fleetwood, Lancashire, on July 22, 2022 before taking her own life
Kiena Dawes wrote in a suicide note: ‘Ryan Wellings killed me’. Wellings was convicted of coercive control and actual bodily harm
Croft, 28, pictured alongside Wellings, has agreed to ‘step down’ from her job as at a Beauty Salon in Blackpool
Ryan Wellings (pictured) is set to be sentenced on Thursday after being cleared of manslaughter
A former friend of Croft’s told MailOnline that she was ‘completely in thrall’ to Wellings and ‘in denial’ about the nature of his personality.
‘She’s got this fairytale view of him, but it’s caused so much bad feeling in Blackpool,’ said the friend. ‘The owner of the salon where she worked has had enough of the bad publicity and threatening messages, so she asked Emma to step down and she agreed.’
In a Facebook post today, The Powder Room announced: ‘Please Read. In regards to recent media coverage, we would like to inform our clients that Emma Croft no longer works at The Powder Room.
‘We ask that others are kind and respectful towards all staff who work hard to make our salon an inviting place and have nothing to do with the situation that has arisen.
‘Police are aware of recent media comments and are staying in close contact with the owners of the salon. Thank you.’
Jurors heard how Wellings repeatedly lashed out at his hairdresser partner Kiena, beating her while she was pregnant with his child, as well as threatening to drown her in a bath, drill her teeth and ‘make her look like Katie Piper’ by dousing her with acid.
He also urged Ms Dawes to kill herself, boasted that ‘hitting you is like hitting a man’ and, on one occasion, forced her head underwater in a bath and said: ‘Say goodbye to your baby’.
He was the first defendant to be tried before a jury accused of the unlawful killing of his partner after her suicide following domestic violence, but was found not guilty. He turned and blew a kiss to Croft as the verdict was read out, while Ms Dawes’ sister burst into tears.
Jurors heard how Wellings repeatedly lashed out at his hairdresser partner Kiena, beating her while she was pregnant with his child, as well as threatening to drown her in a bath
The ‘bright and popular’ hairdresser was ‘ground down’ by two-and-a-half years of domestic violence , a jury was told
Just 11 days before her suicide, Ms Dawes suffered an horrific head wound after being attacked by her partner (Ms Dawes is seen with blood over her face in an image released today by police)
Despite being cleared of manslaughter, Wellings was convicted of assault and coercive control for two years of violence and abuse.
In one incident just 11 days before Ms Dawes’ death, on July 11, 2022 he ‘launched’ her into a radiator with such force it broke the appliance off the wall, then slammed a door in her face – knocking her out and leaving her with blood pouring from her head.
She called police at least five times reporting domestic problems with Wellings. While she frequently downplayed her abuse to officers – due to threats from her partner – she did make a statement about the assault on July 11.
He was arrested for assault but bailed on condition he did not contact her, which he did.
Ms Dawes wrote in a suicide note: ‘I was murdered. Ryan Wellings killed me. He ruined every bit of strength I had left. I had dreams. I had a future at one point. That was taken away from me.’
In the note, she also shared her hopes that police would act ‘faster’ in cases like hers – and three police officers are now facing disciplinary proceedings.
The prosecution claimed that Wellings took advantage of Ms Dawes’s vulnerability – on account of issues with her mental health – and was repeatedly violent and abusive towards her.
He also sponged off her, unable to hold down work, securing and leaving 22 jobs and draining her of money while she worked two jobs. Wellings claimed £15,000 in Covid loans during lockdown which he spent on hotels, £1,800 worth of golf clubs and drugs.
Ms Dawes was left with a one inch gash on her forehead after Wellings slammed a door in her face during a row just 11 days before she took her life
Ms Dawes, pictured, wrote that she hoped her daughter is ‘kept away from the monster who is called her dad’, jurors heard
Speaking outside Preston Crown Court after the verdicts, Ms Dawes’s mother Angela (pictured) apologised for not getting ‘justice’
This abuse was a ‘significant factor’ in Ms Dawes’ decision to take her own life, prosecutors said. She was later found dead on railway tracks, near Garstang, Lancashire, after being hit by a train.
Wellings’ defence team insisted the injuries Ms Dawes had suffered before her death had been as a result of Wellings’ attempts to restrain her or had been inflicted accidentally.
They suggested that descriptions of the landscape gardener’s behaviours by her had been either inaccurate, untrue or exaggerated.
And they claimed that despite the young mother’s relationship with her partner being a ‘recipe for disaster’ – Wellings was not guilty of driving her to suicide through domestic violence.
Defence counsel John Jones KC told Preston Crown Court Ms Dawes’ suicide was not caused ‘in any significant degree’ by his client.
He added the couple’s ‘party lifestyle’ had been a ‘recipe for disaster’ and their ‘fairytale’ relationship was to end in turmoil because of Wellings’ temper, Ms Dawes’ mental health difficulties, and their joint abuse of cocaine.
Kiena had been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder resulting in increased impulsivity, poor self-esteem and difficulty in relationships, a condition that the court heard was exploited by Wellings.
After the case, Harriet Wistrich, Director of the Centre for Women’s Justice, said: ‘Coercive control is a bespoke form of abuse, which targets a victim’s vulnerabilities.
‘In this case there seems to have been evidence of ‘gaslighting’ whereby Wellings used Kiena’s past mental health to push her to the edge. Jurors need help in understanding how a victim can become so entrapped in an abusive relationship that they can see no way out.
‘Many victims of domestic abuse who take their own lives will have pre-existing vulnerabilities, which are deliberately exploited by their abuser to exert control and inflict harm. The justice system must hold perpetrators accountable for the full scope of their actions.’
For help and support, call the Samaritans on 116 123 for free, completely anonymously or go to samaritans.org
