WARNING, SENSITIVE TOPIC AND DISTRESSING CONTENT: Kiena Dawes sustained years of horrific abuse from her ‘evil’ former fiancé Ryan Wellings until she took her own life. Here, we take a look at the tragic timeline of the young mum who pleaded to be saved
Kiena Dawes wrote the words “I hope my life saves another” – shortly after, she would tragically end her own.
The young mum, 23, from Lancashire, who once thought she found herself the ‘fairy tale romance’ would end up living an utter ‘nightmare’. And her ‘torturer’? ‘Evil’ former fiancé Ryan Wellings, 30, who has now been found guilty of assault along with controlling and coercive behaviour.
Before dropping off her baby daughter at a friends house so she could end her own life, Kiena left a note “Ryan Wellings killed me”, though he was cleared of manslaughter in court yesterday (January 13).
Kiena, described as a ‘rare gem’ by her grief stricken family, endured two years of abuse from Wellings – he threatened to drill her teeth, drown her in the bath, ‘make her look like Katie Piper’, throw her dad’s ashes down the toilet and even beat Kiena while pregnant with their child.
She made contact with the police at least five times over a 12 month period of relentless mental and physical torture before her death in July 2022, yet chances to save Kiena were missed.
Haunting messages left by Kiena have now pieced together the gruelling reality of being with an abusive partner from day dot to tragic end, a testament to the extremity of VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) – which the government are implementing new measures to combat.
She documented much of the abuse under the guise of a shopping list on her iPhone, which now stands as a harrowing timeline and shines a light on the missed opportunities to save Kiena – who said she felt ‘unsupported’ by police in her final days.
Kiena’s final words were an outpour of love for her daughter, who she so desperately wanted to protect from ‘monster’ Wellings, along with her chilling comment “I hope my life saves another by police services acting faster.”
Here, we take a look at the timeline of abuse Kiena suffered from the ‘love bombing’ beginning and the true ‘evil’ Wellings is capable of.
‘Fairy tale turns into nightmare’
– January 26 2020 – Kiena’s brother introduces to Wellings, already a dad of two. Their ‘intense’ relationship quickly begins where Wellings gets a portrait of Kiena, along with her name, tattooed onto himself – not even within a week of meeting.
– February 25 2020 – Less than a month of meeting and getting into a relationship, alarm bells start to ring for Kiena. She sends Wellings a texs, “Stop hurting me now xxxx.”
– April 3 2020 – Wellings proposes to Kiena within three months of their initial introduction. On a beach, he holds a banner ‘”Will you marry me, baby?”. She agrees to the engagement.
– May 3 2020 – Just a month into their engagement, Wellings shows signs of jealousy and anger. He then tries to strangle Kiena with an iPhone charger cable. Kiena, aged 20 at the time, is left bruised and scared over the ordeal.
– May 29,2020 – Rage-fuelled Wellings screams ‘slag’ at Kiena as he accuses Kiena her of cheating. Wellings proceeds to chuck Kiena to the floor where she cuts her foot on broken glass. He later apologies to Kiena.
– July 20 2020 – Kiena’s dad, Russell Dawes, dies suddenly. She is devastated losing her dad who she was incredibly close to.
– August 28,2020 – Wellings receives a message from Kiena “You’ve f****** terrorised me…You’re a bully.”
‘You think your life is hell now, when the baby gets here I’ll make it f****** hell’
– December 2020 – After a year of abuse, Kiena tells Wellings she is ending the relationship. He proceeds to ‘rag’ her around by her hair. Wellings then says that Kiena has to give him money. Kiena is urged to call the police call police but she makes up with Wellings the next day.
– February 2021 – Kiena learns that she is pregnant, a year after starting a relationship with Wellings. He proceeds to call her ‘fat’ before communicating with escorts online.
Kiena, who was being treated for EUPD (Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder), stops her medication due to her pregnancy. Her mental health then deteriorates and she begins to spiral.
– February 20 2021 – Kiena’s mental health continues to deteriorate and is eventually sectioned to a psychiatric unit for three weeks. Wellings cruelty continues as she assures Kiena ‘no one’ will believe the abuse because of her mental health diagnosis. He then says that her unborn child will be removed because of this.
– April 17 2021 – Kiena has been back into the community for a number of weeks. She then kicks Wellings out of her flat because she discovers he is cheating.
He retaliates by threatening to set her car alight. Wellings Facebook profile is changed to him sitting in a car – smirking and holding a lighter.
– May 8 2021 – Kiena made a shrine to remember her dad who passed away the year prior. Wellings decides to trash the candle and photo tribute and threatens to flush her dad’s ashes down the toilet.
– July 5 2021 – The first time Kiena calls the police about Wellings. Wellings gives Kiena a black eye, she is six months pregnant at the time. Kiena calls the police, but is convinced to downplay the severity as he says that they will take their unborn child from them.
When the police arrive, Kiena says it was just a ‘verbal tiff’. He then apolgies and ‘promises’ to Kiena he will not hit her again.
– August 2 2021 – Kiena has documented a series of verbal abuse from Wellings. She sends these to him…
- “You think your life is hell now, when the baby gets here I’ll make it f****** hell
- “You’re a fat little bitch.”
- “Your (family) are dossers.”
- “You’ve got a shit life.”
- “No one loves you.”
- “Stop f****** crying.”
– August 4 2021 – The second time Kiena calls police. She tells the police that she is no longer with Wellings, but he is attempting to take her belongings from her flat.
Kiena admits to the police, for the first time, that Wellings had physically assaulted her previously.
– September 23, 2021 – “You’ve raised your fist to me twice this week…You’ll never change,” Kiena tells Wellings in a message.
‘Terrorising’ continues
– October 13 2021 – Kiena gives birth to their daughter. His third child and first with Kiena.
– November 21 2021 – The first time Kiena’s mother Angela calls the police. Angela shares that Wellings refused to leave the flat. Kiena says that Wellings was ‘terrorising’ her.
– Christmas 2021 – Wellings threatened to drill Kiena’s teeth out as he held his cordless drill to her face.
– January 4 2022 – Kiena calls the National Domestic Abuse Helpline. She reports the abuse from Wellings.
– March 11 2022 – Wellings grabs Kiena’s head as she bathes their child. He proceeds to dunk her head in the baby bath. He threatens to drown Kiena with their young child watching on.
Missed last chances to save Kiena
– March 15 2022 – Kiena calls the police for the third time. She would provide her first witness statement detailing the abuse sustained over the last two years of Wellings’ domestic violence.
Wellings is then arrested on suspicion of assault. Kiena then informs police that she does not want to pursue this any further and then gets back together with Wellings.
Police respond by arranging for a panic alarm to be installed in Kiena’s flat.
– June 13 2022 – Wellings physically assaults Kiena – including pushing her over the sofa. Wellings had his ‘anger triggered’ as Kiena answered him back.
– July 4 2022 – Kiena drives into the back of a car. She tells the paramedics on scene that she forgot she was on the road.
Kiena admits that she was having suicidal ideation and that she is in need of professional intervention.
– July 11 2022 – Kiena calls the police for the fifth time. She is covered in blood after an attack from Wellings. Kiena shared that Wellings ‘launched’ her into the bathroom radiator.
It fell from the wall and proceeded to slam a door in her face. Kiena was briefly knocked unconscious and sustained a large gash on her forehead, covering her in blood.
Kiena was taken to hospital for her injuries as Wellings was arrested. He was then bailed and was instructed that a condition of his bail was not to contact Kiena.
– July 17, 2022 – Wellings contacts Kiena via his new girlfriend’s phone number. He threatens Kiena and she immediately reports to police. Although the police did not see this as him breaching bail.
Kiena felt ‘unsupported’ by police.
– July 22, 2022 – Kiena drops her baby off at a friends house. She writes a suicide note and ends her life on a train track.
Wellings denied all charges but was found guilty of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour between January 2020 and July 2022 after a trial at Preston Crown Court. He was found not guilty of manslaughter. Wellings will be sentenced on Thursday (16 January).
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Winstanley said: “I hope these guilty verdicts give [Kiena’s loved ones] some sense justice has been done.”
“We will seek to learn any lessons we can from Kiena’s tragic death so that we can continue to deliver on our commitment to the communities of Lancashire that we will put victims of crime and vulnerable people at the heart of everything we do.”
The Centre of Women’s Justice (CWJ) have now issued a statement about the ruling and the domestic abuse committed by Wellings.
They praised Kiena’s family for the courage of speaking out about their loved one that has helped raise awareness of domestic abuse, how Wellings weaponised her mental health diagnosis and that this abuse can lead to suicide.
Harriet Wistrich, Director of the Centre for Women’s Justice, said: “The verdict in this case highlights the complex task a jury must perform to determine the extent to which the abuse contributed to the decision by Kiena to take her own life. The test in law is that it must be more than minimal.
“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.
“Whilst the outcome of this case may not have delivered justice for Kiena’s family, their courage in speaking out about the issue will have helped raise awareness about domestic abuse as a cause of suicide and can help contribute to changes in the law and practice that are needed.”
If you have been affected by issues of domestic violence or coercive control you can call Refuge’s 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline for free. The number is 0808 2000 247.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website