Fiona Trott
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

Ryan Wellings smiled as he left the dock. In contrast, Kiena’s mother - sitting metres away - showed no emotion at all.

She’s been through so much. Her witness impact statement said that watching her daughter’s "soap opera" life being pulled apart during a six-week trial, had been a trauma in itself.

"Ryan Wellings put me through that," she said.

As Wellings starts his six-and-a-half-year sentence, she and her family will start a new chapter, raising the little girl Kiena left behind.

After today, there are questions for the justice system too as the prosecution said this trial had triggered an important public debate.

Kiena had existing mental health issues and the jury couldn’t agree that Wellings’ abuse was the cause of her death, beyond reasonable doubt.

The Centre for Women’s Justice told us this suggests that vulnerable victims are less likely to get justice.

There are important questions for the police too. Three officers still face misconduct proceedings over how they handled Kiena Dawes’ case.

• Man who abused mum before she took own life jailed

Image source, PA Media

Ryan Wellings, a father-of-three who psychologically and physically abused his vulnerable partner before she killed herself has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.

Here are the key points from the sentencing hearing:

• Judge Robert Altham told Wellings he "repeatedly assaulted and abused" Kiena Dawes, even giving her a black eye whilst she was pregnant with their daughter
• The judge said Kiena was a "popular, vivacious, friendly young woman", who had history of mental illness and was "vulnerable to abuse and exploitation"
• He told Wellings he is "a clear danger to any partner" he has in the future
• The judge also handed Wellings an additional six month jail term for an unrelated offence of actual bodily harm (ABH) on his friend Scott Fletcher in July 2023
• Kiena's mother said in her victim impact statement it "breaks my heart that Kiena's daughter will grow up without her mummy"
• Her brother, Kynan Dawes, said in a statement: "The world now knows what a monster [Wellings] is."

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

Following the sentencing, Judge Robert Altham says that there are no mitigating factors.

On count 2, he says the assault on Kiena Dawes is high culpability because of the vulnerability of the victim. "You left her unconscious on the floor with your daughter," he says.

"It’s a significant aggravating factor that you assaulted her in the presence of your daughter."

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

On count 1, coercive behaviour, Wellings has been sentenced to four years.

On count 2, the incident where Kiena was hit with a door, he has been sentenced to two years. The sentences will run consecutively.

For an unrelated offence of actual bodily harm (ABH) on his friend Scott Fletcher in July 2023, he is given an additional six months.

Ryan Wellings, who assaulted and abused his partner Kiena Dawes over a two-year period before she took her own life, has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.

The sentence includes four years for coercive and controlling behaviour, two years for the assault on Dawes, and a further six months for an unrelated assault on his friend in July 2023.

Wellings smiles as he leaves the dock.

Fiona Trott
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

Ryan Wellings is sitting in the dock, resting his head on the wall and staring at the judge.

Judge Robert Altham then asks him to stand, as he is about to pass down sentence.

Fiona Trott
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

The judge continues: “You show no remorse you seek to blame the fact you took cocaine or alcohol or both."

"You are a clear danger to any partner you have in the future.”

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

A reminder that this page contains distressing details.

The judges says Kiena pleaded with Wellings to stop him from hitting her but he just carried on.

He adds: "There were also threats to harm her… you held an electric drill to her face and threatened to drill her teeth out. You repeatedly threatened to throw acid in her face and watch her burn.

"Knowing of her fragile mental health you repeatedly told her to kill herself. You told her that if she spoke out about your abuse of her, her child would be taken from her.

"You persuaded her she was an unfit mother and that her family no longer cared for her."

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

Judge Robert Altham continues his sentencing remarks, saying "there was a pattern of assaulting and mistreating her and promising to change, only to do it again".

"You repeatedly assaulted and abused her.

"You took her by the hair and dragged her to the floor. This was in the presence of your children. Whilst she was pregnant with your daughter, you slapped her giving her a black eye.

"You said she had attacked you first. That’s plainly not true… [On another occasion] You became aggressive, took hold of her head and pushed it into baby bath, and held her under the water.”

He adds,"you disparaged her appearance and said her dead father would be ashamed of her, that she was fat and ugly and incompetent at her work”.

Fiona Trott
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

Judge Robert Altham continues: “Kiena Dawes was a popular, vivacious, friendly young woman."

"She had history of mental illness. Though through no fault of hers, she was vulnerable to abuse and exploitation."

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

Judge Robert Altham begins his sentencing remarks: "Given the gravity of the offending there's no prospect of a sentence other than immediate custody."

"I’m about to set out the facts of the offending against Ms Dawes. I must be satisfied of the factual basis on which I sentence", he continues.

Judge Robert Altham is beginning to read out his sentence for Ryan Wellings, who is standing in the dock, at Preston Crown Court.

His hands clasped in front of him, the judge tells Wellings he can remain seated until he passes his sentence.

Wellings has already been found guilty of assault and prolonged domestic violence of his partner Kiena Dawes, 23, who took her own life. He denied all charges.

Ryan Wellings is expected to be sentenced in the next few minutes, after being found guilty of assault and prolonged domestic violence, following the death of his former partner Kiena Dawes.

Here are the key lines from the courtroom this afternoon:

• Lead prosecutor Paul Greaney KC told Judge Robert Altham that Wellings "set the scene for Kienas' death"
• The court heard that abuse happened at home when the baby was present, as details were shared about an incident when Wellings hit Dawes with a door
• Kiena's mum, in a statement read to court, said she has nightmares and is worried for the future of Kiena's daughter, who was eight-months-old when her mum took her own life
• Kiena's brother said that the "world knows what a monster Wellings is", in a statement read out in court
• Wellings' defence said the attack on Dawes with a door, that left "blood everywhere", was an "act of impulsivity, caused by temper"

Fiona Trott
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

John Jones KC, defending Wellings, reminds the court about delays in the system.

He says Wellings has spent "two years awaiting his fate".

Paul Greaney KC tells the court that while Wellings was acquitted of manslaughter, “it’s triggered an important public debate”.

The defence for Ryan Wellings' submits to the court that the sentences the judge passes on counts 1 - coercive behaviour - and count 2 - the incident that saw Kiena hit with a door - should not be consecutive, but run concurrently, arguing that count 2 was “not on a separate occasion”.

The judge points out that count 2 occurred on 11 July, whilst count 1 includes everything up until 10 July.

Judge Robert Altham says he will pass sentence at about 15:40 GMT - after a short break. Stay with us.

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

John Jones KC says: "This [incident] was used by Kiena as a means in her own mind of bringing the relationship to an end."

"She made various steps, positive steps, engaging in rebuilding of her life," he adds.

In response to Judge Robert Altham's question regarding psychological impact (see our previous post), he replies: "That’s a judgement call for your lordship."

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

Judge Robert Altham responds, asking defence John Jones KC: “There was a significant psychological effect - am I not entitled to take that into account?”

On the count of assault by Ryan Wellings, defence John Jones KC says it was an "act of impulsivity, caused by temper".

"The act of the defendant was to either slam or kick the door," he says. "That was the blow that caused injury to Kiena."

"That - we would submit - can be regarded as, if not a spontaneous act, an impulsive one."

He adds it cannot be described as the most serious type of injury.

Erica Witherington
Reporting from Preston Crown Court

On the count of coercive behaviour, defence John Jones KC says: "I don’t say that the relationship was anything other than a significant coercive and controlling relationship - that it quite clear - and it falls into the higher category."

"But we must point out there are other times when the relationship can’t be viewed in that way," he adds.

After almost half an hour, lead prosecutor Paul Greaney KC sits down. John Jones KC, defending Ryan Wellings, is now on his feet.

The defence says “it's wrong to say the coercive and controlling relationship was in existence throughout. There were good and bad times."