• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Man whose girlfriend blamed him for her death in suicide note cleared of manslaughter

Home> News> UK News

Updated 15:01 13 Jan 2025 GMTPublished 14:34 13 Jan 2025 GMT

Man whose girlfriend blamed him for her death in suicide note cleared of manslaughter

Ryan Wellings had been accused of manslaughter after the death of his girlfriend Kiena Dawes

Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper

Warning: This article contains discussion of domestic violence and suicide which some readers may find distressing.

A man who was blamed for his girlfriend's death in her suicide note has been cleared of manslaughter but found guilty of assault.

Ryan Wellings, 30, had faced charges of driving his girlfriend Kiena Dawes to her death after years of alleged domestic violence.

He is the first person to be tried before a jury accused of the unlawful killing of his partner after her suicide following domestic violence.

Advert

Ryan Wellings has been cleared of manslaughter but found guilty of assault and controlling and coercive behaviour (Lancashire Police)
Ryan Wellings has been cleared of manslaughter but found guilty of assault and controlling and coercive behaviour (Lancashire Police)

Dawes, 23, had died by suicide on 22 July 2022, leaving a note which included phrases such as 'I was murdered' and that Wellings had 'killed' her. She left her and Wellings' nine-month-old daughter with a friend before taking her own life.

It is understood that Dawes made a statement to Lancashire Police after a final beating had left her needing hospital treatment. Wellings would later break his bail conditions but was not locked up - leaving the mother-of-one to feel let down by authorities.

Three Lancashire Police officers face disciplinary hearings.

The court heard how 'swept off her feet' by Wellings, who has a previous conviction for battering his ex-partner, in the early days of their relationship.

Advert

However, the relationship is said to have turned in to a 'nightmare', with text messages between the pair and from Ms Dawes to her friends being submitted as evidence.

The prosecution alleged that Wellings was an 'entitled, aggressive bully' who had physically assaulted Dawes as well as threatening her with further violence, such as threatening to use a drill to take out her teeth and throwing acid in her face to 'make her look like Katie Piper'.

Kiena Dawes died by suicide on 22 July 2022 (Lancashire Police/PA Wire)
Kiena Dawes died by suicide on 22 July 2022 (Lancashire Police/PA Wire)

Meanwhile, the defence stated that Dawes' medical records had revealed she had a history of mental health issues, including a diagnosis of unstable personality disorder, and was a 'very troubled young lady' who ended her life due to 'multiple factors'.

The 30-year-old admitted that he'd been 'heavy handed' with Dawes, but told the courts that her accusations of violence were a result of his attempts to restrain her or accidental.

Advert

"I’m not a monster," he told the court.

Wellings made no reaction once jurors returned their verdicts, which cleared him of manslaughter but found him guilty of assault and controlling and coercive behaviour.

His sentencing is yet to take place.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence to the national domestic violence helpline Refuge on 0808 2000 247, available 24/7, or via live chat, available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday.

Featured Image Credit: (Lancashire Police/Ryan Wellings)

Topics: UK News, Crime

Brenna Cooper
Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper is a journalist at LADbible. She graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in History, followed by an NCTJ accredited masters in Journalism. She began her career as a freelance writer for Digital Spy, where she wrote about all things TV, film and showbiz. Her favourite topics to cover are music, travel and any bizarre pop culture.

X

@_brencoco

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
3 hours ago
  • 2 hours ago

    Man horrified to discover his new home is actually someone else's Airbnb

    Ben Echianu, from Manchester, branded the woman whom he believes posed as a landlord as 'heartless'

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Christian Horner releases statement after being sacked by Red Bull after 20 years

    Horner shared a lengthy statement on social media

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Donald Trump shuts down reporter who asked Jeffrey Epstein question following release of CCTV footage

    It seems the US President deems the topic to be no longer up for discussion

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Cardiologist who had heart attack warns people to not 'make same mistake' over little-known warning sign

    The irony isn't lost on Dr William Wilson

    News
  • Unnerving moment woman who killed her parents and lived with their bodies for four year explains where they are
  • Abuser in 'largest UK catfish case' jailed for life after 12-year-old girl commits suicide
  • Man with Alzheimer's explains 'hardest part' of applying for assisted death in Switzerland
  • Father of woman who went missing after flying into airport spoke out about search for her before his death