Inside Kiena Dawes' dark final days of torment with monster boyfriend before suicide
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Tragic Kiena Dawes is remembered by loved ones as a "bubbly" young mum who "just wanted to live a happy little life". Heartbreakingly, the final years of Kiena's short life were anything but, instead marked by pain, abuse and fear. The 23-year-old hairdresser died by suicide in July 2022, leaving behind a harrowing note blaming her partner Ryan Wellings for her death, claiming she had been "tortured" until "there was nothing left".
The trial heard how Wellings assaulted Kiena her while she was pregnant, and issued horrifying threats to drown her in a bath, drill her teeth and 'make her look like Katie Piper' by throwing acid on her face. Today (January 13), at Preston Crown Court, Wellings was found not guilty of the manslaughter of Kiena. He has, however, been convicted of assault and controlling and coercive behaviour.
Wellings, who denied manslaughter, was the first defendant to be tried before a jury accused of the unlawful killing of his partner following her suicide following a campaign of domestic violence. Only one other defendant in history has been convicted under such circumstances - Nicholas Allen, who confessed before his 2017 trial to the manslaughter of his partner, Justene Reece.
Here, the Mirror looks at Kiena's nightmare life with a "monster" who “swept her off her feet”. After meeting in January 2020, Kiena's relationship with Wellings moved quickly, with Wellings tattooing her name on his face and body within the first few days of their courtship. Within three months, Wellings had proposed, with Kiena's mother, Angela Dawes, recalling how her daughter had been "swept off her feet.”.
