Ryan Wellings, a man convicted of assault and prolonged domestic violence that drove his partner to take her own life, has been given a longer sentence after being 'coached' through his trial in a contempt of court case.
Background of the Case
Wellings was jailed for six-and-a-half years in January 2025 after being found guilty of coercive and controlling behaviour and assault against Kiena Dawes, a 23-year-old mother of one. Kiena died by suicide on railway tracks in July 2022 after enduring two years of abuse from Wellings. In a suicide note, she wrote: 'I was murdered,' adding that Wellings 'killed me.'
Contempt of Court
Now, an additional seven months have been added to Wellings’ sentence for contempt of court. Despite a judge’s warning not to discuss his trial, Wellings spoke about it with his then-partner Emma Croft and his mother Lisa Green. Green was a potential defence witness, and Croft was present in court for the warnings. They discussed the trial eight times over the phone.
During one call, Croft told Wellings: 'Some advice to listen, so take it in. Say how sorry you was and how you regret some of your action. You can show emotion. If you do feel like you’re gonna cry then let it out.' In the following days, Wellings cried while giving evidence about Kiena’s death. Croft also advised him to mention self-defence and to suggest that some arguments were related to Kiena’s mental health problems.
Sentencing for Contempt
Adam Birkby, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court that the defendants engaged in witness coaching, which was a flagrant breach of the court’s order. Both Croft and Green were given a six-month sentence, suspended for 20 months. Judge Robert Altham labelled their coaching a 'serious interference with the fairness and integrity of the trial process in an important and serious case concerning the loss of life.' However, he could not conclude if this impacted the ultimate outcome of the trial.
Other Crimes
Separately, Wellings’ father Michael and mother Green were sentenced for kidnapping their granddaughter weeks after Kiena’s death. The baby was in her pram with her maternal grandmother when Michael grabbed her and ran towards a car where Green was shouting. Both were handed nine months in prison, suspended for 20 months.
The Abuse
During Wellings and Kiena’s two-year relationship, he violently abused her, once telling her: 'Hitting you is like hitting a man.' Kiena had been diagnosed with an Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, which Wellings exploited, driving her to suicide. He attacked her in front of their baby daughter just 11 days before her death. He once dunked her head in the bath and told her to say goodbye to her baby. He accused her of sleeping with others, threw a stool at her, told her to kill herself, threatened to use a drill on her teeth, and said he would throw acid in her face.
On July 21, 2022, Kiena ended up in hospital after an attack. She texted her mum: 'I’m genuinely tortured. I don’t know how I’m going to get over this. I know time is a healer but I am seriously haunted by what’s happened. It’s f***ing killing me.' The next morning, she drove to a friend’s house, left her nine-month-old daughter with a heartbreaking note, and travelled to a country lane where she was struck by a high-speed train. The note read: 'The end. I fought hard, I fought long. I went through pain no one could imagine. I was murdered. Ryan Wellings killed me. He ruined every bit of strength I had left. I didn’t deserve it. I hope my life saves another by police services acting faster. Don’t let bullies live free.'
