Court Hears Woman Claimed ‘I was murdered’ in Note After Alleged Abuse

A manslaughter trial has been informed that a vulnerable mother, Kiena Dawes of Fleetwood, Lancashire, penned a note stating “I was murdered” following years of alleged abuse by her partner. Ms. Dawes was discovered by British Transport Police on a railway line in Barnacre, close to Garstang, on 22 July 2022. Preston Crown Court heard that Ms. Dawes ended her own life subsequent to experiencing physical assaults and controlling and coercive behaviour attributed to Ryan Wellings. Mr. Wellings refutes these accusations, as well as the manslaughter charge. Jurors were also informed that Ms. Dawes, aged 23, left a note in which she expressed having “fought hard,” but that “slowly, they tortured me, till there was nothing left.” Paul Greaney KC, presenting the prosecution’s case, informed the jury that on the morning of 22 July, the hairdresser entrusted her nine-month-old daughter to a close friend. The jury was told she subsequently traveled to a country lane situated approximately a half-hour drive away, near the West Coast main line, where she ended her life. Mr. Greaney posed a question to the jury: “What caused a bright and popular young mother to take such clear and deliberate steps to end her own life?” According to Mr. Greaney, from the outset of their relationship and over an extended duration, Mr. Wellings subjected Ms. Dawes to controlling and coercive behaviour, treating her abusively and physically assaulting her multiple times. Ms. Dawes and Mr. Wellings first met on 26 January 2020. However, Mr. Greaney stated that less than six months into their relationship, Mr. Wellings allegedly tried to strangle her using an iPhone charger cable. The court was informed of another incident where he reportedly threw a stool at her, resulting in her foot being cut by broken glass. The prosecution further alleged that during Christmas 2020, she was pulled and dragged across the floor in the presence of his former partner and her children. Ms. Dawes, the court heard, had a history of mental health issues, specifically an emotionally unstable personality disorder, which is a type of personality disorder characterized by heightened impulsivity, low self-esteem, and challenges in interpersonal relationships. Mr. Greaney asserted: “The defendant thoroughly and dreadfully exploited that vulnerability.” He stated that Mr. Wellings’ abuse of Ms. Dawes, coupled with an assault occurring merely 11 days prior to her death, were considerable elements contributing to her decision to end her life. It was disclosed to the court that police had been contacted on numerous occasions, with 999 calls placed, including one on 11 July 2022, when Mr. Wellings was apprehended on suspicion of assault. The jury learned that no prosecution ensued, and Ms. Dawes subsequently alleged that her partner was violating his bail conditions by attempting to contact her in the days that followed. The court was informed that, for reasons not fully clarified, Lancashire Police advised her that Mr. Wellings had not breached his bail. A note discovered on her phone, the court heard, depicted Mr. Wellings as a “monster” and contained the words: “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.” The jury was also presented with another excerpt from her writing: “Ryan Wellings killed me. He ruined every bit of strength I had left.” “The world turned their back on me. I was strong. I had dreams. I had a future at one point. That was taken away from me.” The prosecution contended that the hairdresser’s death resulted from Mr. Wellings’ unlawful actions, and consequently, he ought to be found guilty of her manslaughter. Jurors were informed that he employed violence, issued threats to damage the hairdresser’s possessions, subjected her to insults and belittlement, incited her to self-harm, estranged her from her friends and family, appropriated money and property from her, and threatened to have her child taken away. The trial is ongoing.