Boyfriend accused of killing mom after ‘marketing campaign of abuse’ led her to take her personal life ‘advised her “hitting you is like hitting a man” after assault’, courtroom hears

A man accused of killing of a young mother after he led a ‘campaign of abuse’ that led to her taking her own life told her that hitting her ‘was like hitting a man’, a jury has heard.

Kiena Dawes, 23, was found dead on railway tracks after going missing on July 22, 2022.

The hairdresser had vanished earlier that day after she left her nine-month-old daughter still strapped to a car seat along with her mobile phone containing a suicide note with a friend in Fleetwood, Lancashire.

Ms Dawes’ mother raised the alarm when she failed to return and drove 17 miles to a railway line in Barnacre.

Preston Crown Court heard how Ms Dawes died after she suffered multiple injuries when she was struck by a Glasgow-bound train travelling at 110 mph.

Her former fiancé Wellings, 30, is on trial accused of her manslaughter after her suicide note named him as her killer.

The prosecution allege that Wellings took advantage of Ms Dawes’ vulnerability, due to her mental health problems, and subjected her to two-and-a-half years of coercive and controlling behaviour during their on-off relationship and was violent and abusive towards her.

This abuse was a ‘significant factor’ in Kiena’s decision to take her own life, it’s claimed, with Wellings last attack coming just 11 days before she died.

Wellings is said to have assaulted Ms Dawes on multiple occasions and the court has heard how she made notes of his alleged abuse of her mobile phone that were recovered by police.

The jury was shown a doorbell video of her dropping off her daughter at the home of Kacie Valentine before she left and her friend discovered her suicide note on her phone.

And a panicked Ms Valentine could be seen running outside in the road and shouting: ‘No, no, no.’

Giving evidence today, she said Ms Dawes had told her that Wellings had been violent towards her and she had also seen cuts, bruises and ‘black eye’ sustained by her friend.

Ms Valentine also said that Ms Dawes had revealed that Wellings had told her after one attack: ‘Hitting you is like hitting a man.’

The jury was also shown messages between the couple when she complained about his use of cocaine which was a ‘bad idea and not good’ for him.

And Ms Valentine recalled a night when Ms Dawes had asked to stay over at her house because Wellings was drinking and taking drugs in their kitchen.

Earlier John Jones KC, defending, claimed Wellings was not responsible for Ms Dawes’ death and there were ‘multiple factors’ they needed to consider.

He characterised the defendant’s relationship with Ms Dawes as ‘loving and affectionate’ but also ‘difficult and stormy’.

‘As with any relationship there were good times and bad times and you may conclude by the end of the relationship the times were predominantly bad not good,’ he said.

Whether the relationship could be described as ‘toxic’ was for them to determine, he said, and whatever the good times or bad times the defendant attests that it did not lead to Ms Dawes ‘most tragic death’.

He said some of the allegations Ms Dawes had made were ‘either untrue or inaccurate’ but the defence ‘did not want to pretend everything in the relationship was perfect’.

He claimed Ms Dawes was a ‘deeply troubled’ young woman with a ‘long and troubled psychiatric history’ which included previous attempts to take her own life.

Her death was not the consequence of any unlawful acts by Wellings, he said.

‘Whatever the shortcomings in that relationship they were not the reason why she chose to kill herself,’ he added, and the decision she made to take her own life was ‘attributable to multiple factors’.

The jury previously heard about the suicide note Kiena left on her phone, which read: ‘The end. I fought hard, I fought long.

‘I went through pain no one could imagine. No one will know what I went through.

‘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.’

The note also said, ‘I hope my life saves another by police services acting faster’ and that she wanted her daughter ‘kept away from the monster who is called her dad’.

Paul Greaney KC, prosecuting, told the jury: ‘The predominant thrust of what Kiena was saying in her suicide note was that Ryan Wellings, the defendant in this trial, was responsible for her death.

‘Kiena’s own words, ‘Ryan Wellings killed me’ represent the prosecution’s case, namely that the death of Kiena Dawes was caused by the unlawful acts of Ryan Wellings and that he is therefore guilty of her manslaughter.’

He said that the suicide note was a ‘significant piece of evidence’ but it wasn’t the sole or even principal basis of the prosecution’s case as Wellings had subjected her to controlling and coercive behaviour and had treated her in an ‘abusive way’ and repeatedly physically assaulted her.

Mr Greaney said Kiena had a personality disorder that can result in increased impulsivity, poor self-esteem and difficulties in relationships and Wellings ‘exploited this vulnerability’.

Ms Valentine said Wellings’ behaviour towards Ms Dawes had been ‘awful’ during her pregnancy both ‘mentally and physically’.

She said Ms Dawes had found out he had been contacting other women and he’d threatened to ‘set fire’ to her and her mother’s cars.

Ms Dawes had also sent her photos of injuries to her face, allegedly caused by Wellings.

The jury heard that Ms Dawes had inherited money following the death of a her father some of which she’d given Wellings after he threatened to tell her mother that she’d used cocaine.

Wellings had told her it would ‘break’ her relationship with her mother and she ‘wouldn’t have anyone’, she said.

Ms Valentine also recalled an occasion that Ms Dawes had held drill to her face, switched it on and threatened to ‘drill’ her teeth.

On another occasion, Ms Dawes had said that Wellings had ‘battered’ her.

In a message to Ms Valentine, she wrote: ‘He punched me in the ribs and strangled me on the floor.

‘Why did I go back?’

Ms Valentine said Ms Dawes had wanted to end her relationship with Wellings but had said he would ‘never let’ her get away from him or ‘leave her alone’.

Wellings, of Bispham, Lancashire, denies charges of controlling and coercive behaviour, assault causing actual bodily harm and manslaughter. 

The trial – due to last four or five weeks – continues.