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Ryan Wellings subjected the mother of his child, Kiena Dawes, to years of hell before her suicide, and has now gallingly claimed he wants custody of their daughter when he is released from jail
The vile thug who abused Kiena Dawes has vowed to get custody of their daughter following his release.
Ryan Wellings, 30, is currently serving a six-year sentence in prison after being found guilty of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour and cleared of manslaughter. For two years, he led a campaign of terror against mother-of-one Kiena, who tragically took her own life, aged 23, in 2022 after feeling like there was nowhere left to turn.
The tortured hairdresser was found dead after leaving her nine-month-old daughter with a friend, along with a heartbreaking suicide note on her phone that read: “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. Ryan Wellings killed me.”
It has now been revealed that Wellings has claimed he will attempt to seek custody of the daughter despite Kiena’s wishes she be “kept away from the monster who is called her dad”. In a sickening Facebook post made ahead of his trial, Wellings, who has two other daughters, claimed he would ‘come to get’ his child once freed.
The December 2023 post, seen by The Sun, claimed: “I didn’t think I was going to make it to Christmas but I love you three girls way too much to leave any of you behind.” The landscape gardener vowed he would have the “best Christmas” with his two daughters before adding, “once all this b******s is over, I’m coming to get you baby girl”.
Wellings will be eligible for parole halfway through his prison sentence in 2028 when his daughter will be around six years old. However, given his conviction for assault and abuse, an attempt to get custody would be unlikely to turn in his favour.
Wellings was the first defendant to face trial for the unlawful killing of a partner after suicide following domestic violence. The court heard how Wellings tried to strangle Kiena with an iPhone charger and would regularly slap her. He gave her a black eye while she was pregnant and issued horrifying threats to drown her in a bath and drill her teeth.
Her sickening abuser threatened to ‘make her look like Katie Piper’ by throwing acid on her face, and drained her of money while she worked two jobs. The court heard that after behaving aggressively, he would apologise and shower her with affection. Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC described Wellings as an “entitled, aggressive bully”.
At his sentencing last week, Kiena’s brother Kynan Dawes, said Wellings can now “spend the rest of his life being viewed as an abuser and person who beats up women”. He told the court: “I want people to see that domestic violence is not OK and men should respect their partners by showing them nothing but love and kindness.”
Behind bars, Wellings, of Fleetwood, Lancashire, will likely have a target on his back, according to a legal expert. John Eastham, who has over 20 years of experience in law and cases involving coercive behaviour, told the Mirror that men convicted of his offences face challenges during their incarceration.
Mr Eastham, from Private Investigations UK, said perpetrators like Wellings are frequently viewed “with disdain by both the public and fellow inmates” and the significant media attention on Kiena’s case could heighten the scrutiny on him in prison. Due to the nature of his crimes, he might find himself “isolated or targeted”.
“Wellings’ case has received widespread media coverage, which can have a lasting impact on his experience in the prison system. Inmates who attract significant public attention may face heightened scrutiny from both prison staff and fellow prisoners,” Mr Eastham said. “This could lead to Wellings being placed under protective measures, such as solitary confinement or transfer to a specialised unit, to ensure his safety.”
The psychological toll of being incarcerated and under the public spotlight “cannot be understated” for someone like Wellings, he explained. He said: “The stigma attached to coercive control offences is immense, and Wellings may struggle with the long-term consequences of this notoriety. This will likely extend beyond his time in custody, as reintegration into society can be especially challenging for high-profile offenders.”
While his new girlfriend, Emma Croft, has loyally supported him throughout his trial, their relationship may hit significant barriers in the future. “The media coverage surrounding his case may continue to haunt him,” Mr Eastham said. “He will likely be subject to strict conditions, including probation supervision.”
Emma is under police investigation after allegedly coaching Wellings, alongside his mother Lisa Green, before he gave evidence. While on remand, Wellings made a number of calls to the pair, who attended the trial. He was allowed to speak to friends and family but was not legally permitted to discuss the case with them.
Paul Greaney KC, prosecuting, told the court: “He has repeatedly discussed the content and nature of the evidence with Emma Croft and Lisa Green, during giving evidence and over the Christmas period. The assessment of the prosecution is that the defendant has misconducted himself, as has Lisa Green and Emma Croft. What has occurred here is effectively a scheme to coach the defendant in the evidence he’s giving. There’s going to be an investigation into this by the police because, on the face of it, there’s been a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.”