Abuser Jailed for Coercive Control Following Partner's Suicide

Ryan Wellings received a six-and-a-half-year sentence for abuse that prosecutors say contributed to Kiena Dawes' death, highlighting systemic failures in addressing domestic violence.

Ryan Wellings, 30, was sentenced to six and a half years for coercive control and assault but was acquitted of manslaughter in connection to the suicide of his ex-partner, Kiena Dawes.
Dawes, 23, left a suicide note blaming Wellings for years of abuse, which included physical violence, psychological torment, and threats during her pregnancy.
The case marks the first trial in the UK where a defendant was charged with the unlawful killing of a partner who died by suicide after enduring domestic abuse.
Three Lancashire police officers face misconduct hearings for failing to act on Dawes' multiple reports of abuse, which left her feeling unsupported and vulnerable.
Campaigners are calling for better recognition of the link between domestic abuse and suicide as data shows more victims die by suicide than through intimate partner homicides.