Man cleared of causing death of partner who took her own life after ‘controlling relationship’
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Kiena Dawes left a suicide note saying ‘Ryan Wellings killed me’ before her death in July 2022. The ex-boyfriend of a vulnerable young mother has been found guilty of assault and prolonged domestic violence towards his partner, but cleared of her manslaughter, after she left a suicide note claiming “I was murdered”.
![[Kiena Dawes took her life in July 2022]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/09/14/12.1-Kiena.jpg)
A Preston Crown Court trial heard hairdresser Kiena Dawes, 23, had endured controlling and coercive behaviour for two years from former partner Ryan Wellings, 30, which had left her hospitalised for 11 days on one occasion. Only one other defendant has been convicted in such circumstances before, Nicholas Allen, who admitted before his trial in 2017 the manslaughter of his partner, Justene Reece.
![[The case was heard at Preston Crown Court]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/10/14/15/1be08e77eba54026359e6845b23b5f2bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzI5MDAzMDk3-2.11685948.jpg)
Ms Dawes’ suicide note, written on her phone, meant she had named and blamed her killer, “from beyond the grave”, Wellings’ trial heard. Mr Wellings had denied allegations of manslaughter, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour. He was convicted of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour towards Ms Dawes after a six-week trial at Preston Crown Court, but cleared of her manslaughter.
On 22 July 2022, Ms Dawes, from Fleetwood, left the couple’s nine-month-old daughter at a friend’s house and took her own life. Next to her daughter, she left a note on her mobile phone which read: “The end. I fought hard, I fought long. I went through pain no one could imagine.
