Kiena Dawes’ heartbroken mum wept yesterday as she vowed to give her daughter a voice.
Fighting back tears Angela Dawes said it was “almost impossible to put into words” the pain they were feeling and that “justice has not been done in the way we all hope”. Kiena’s boyfriend Ryan Wellings was cleared of manslaughter but convicted of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour following a six-week trial at Preston crown court.
She took her own life in July 2022 after leaving their nine-month-old daughter with a friend and writing a suicide note saying, “Ryan Wellings killed me’. Speaking on the steps of the court after the jury returned their verdicts, Angela told how she was now bringing up Kiena’s daughter.
She said: “Although a manslaughter conviction has not been achieved, the convictions for assault and coercive control clearly demonstrate the perpetrators of domestic abuse will be held to account and imprisoned for what they have done.” Wellings could face a sentence for up to 10 years if maximum terms of five years are handed out for the separate counts of coercive control and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was convicted of the two charges by a jury after two-and-a-half days’ deliberations.
Paying tribute to her daughter, Angela revealed she had found it “almost impossible to put into words the impact of losing Kiena has been for her family, her beautiful baby girl and all her friends”. She said: “Kiena was glam, she was an extremely beautiful girl, she was totally the sweetest, kindest and gentlest girl I have ever known.”
She revealed she has taken care of her granddaughter from within hours of her daughter’s death. She said: “Her baby girl was brought to my home a few hours after Kiena was found and has been in my care ever since. I find it hard to put into words how her wonderful baby girl won’t have her mother because of that monster.”
She said she would “never forget the moment three detectives came to my home” after her daughter’s death. She added: “I hope no other mother and child have to go through what she had to.”
Mrs Dawes said the conviction of Wellings – who will be sentenced on Thursday afternoon – “cannot bring back my baby girl back as this has happened too late for her”. She added: “Today was for Kiena and I’m sorry that your voice has not been fully heard and that justice has not been done in the way we all hoped.”
*For confidential support, the Samaritans helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 116 123.
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