Man jailed after girlfriend’s suicide note blamed him for her death

A man whose fiancée took her own life after leaving a suicide note blaming him for her death has been jailed.

A man whose fiancée took her own life after leaving a suicide note blaming him for her death has been jailed.

Kiena Dawes, 23, wrote a suicide note claiming partner Ryan Wells “killed her”. The mum from Preston in England’s north-west, then left their nine-month-old daughter with a friend and ended her life on July 22, 2022.

“The end. I fought hard, I fought long. I went through pain no-one could imagine. I was murdered,” the note read.

“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.”

She also apologised to her daughter in the note.

Wellings was found not guilty of manslaughter after a six-week trial. However, he was found guilty of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour during their two-and-a-half year relationship.

Wellings reportedly blew a kiss to his new girlfriend as the verdict was read out, while Ms Dawes’ sister burst into tears, a report by the Daily Mail stated.

Kiena Dawes, 23, had written a suicide note claiming, ‘Ryan Wellings killed me’, before her death in 2022. Picture: Lancashire Police

Ahead of sentencing Paul Greaney KC, the prosecutor, argued Wellings’ behaviour “set the scene” for Ms Dawes death.

Wellings was sentenced to a total of six years based on two offences against Ms Dawes and an additional six months for an act of actual bodily harm on a friend, according to LadBible.

In one of the offences Wellings slammed a door into Ms Dawes head. She was bleeding and the attack happened in front of their child, Yahoo reported.

Kynan Dawes, Ms Dawes brother, declared the world finally knew what a “monster” Wellings was after the verdict was made. Meanwhile, Ms Dawes’ mum Angela said: “I truly hope no other young lady or child has to go through what he did to my daughter and her baby and I just wish with all my heart that I could bring her back and say, it’s OK, you’re safe now.”

The 30-year-old landscape gardener was found guilty of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour – but not guilty of manslaughter. Picture: Lancashire Police

During the trial, Wellings’ lawyers claimed Ms Dawes had attempted suicide before. They said her taking her life came down to a number of factors. They also argued It was “wrong” to say the abusive and controlling behaviour existed throughout the relationship. The defence team claimed there were “good and bad” times.

Judge Robert Altham said Wellings “showed no remorse”.

Wellings was the first defendant to be tried before a UK jury accused of the unlawful killing of his partner after her suicide following domestic violence.

Only one other defendant has been convicted in such circumstances before after Nicholas Allen admitted to the manslaughter of his partner, Justene Reece, in 2017, according to the Independent.

She was seen on a door cam dropping off her nine-month-old daughter to a friend before taking her own life. Picture: Lancashire Police

The court heard Ms Dawes 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 – just 11 days before her death.

Ms Dawes first met Wellings in January 2020 and was “swept off her feet”, her mother had told the court, according to the BBC.

Wellings, who also had a previous conviction for assaulting another partner, had Ms Dawes’ name and face tattooed on his body within a week of meeting her, and proposed marriage within three months.

But Ms Dawes later said her “fairytale” turned into a “nightmare” with Wellings, who had a vicious temper and regularly binged on cocaine and alcohol.

Originally published as Man jailed after girlfriend’s suicide note blamed him for her death