Relationship was 'recipe for disaster', jury told

A young mother's relationship with her partner was a "recipe for disaster" but he did not drive her to suicide, a jury was told.

Ryan Wellings, 30, from Bispham, Lancashire, is on trial for the manslaughter of his former partner, Kiena Dawes.

The 23-year-old Fleetwood hairdresser, who took her own life on a railway line in July 2022 after allegedly suffering years of domestic and physical abuse by Mr Wellings, left a note claiming he had "murdered her".

In his closing speech for the defence, John Jones KC told Preston Crown Court Ms Dawes' death was not caused "in any significant degree" by his client.

He said the couple's "party lifestyle" was a "recipe for disaster" and their "fairytale" relationship was to end in turmoil because of Mr Wellings' temper, Ms Dawes' mental health difficulties, and their joint liking for cocaine.

Mr Jones told the jury: "This corrosive and destructive combination was to bring heartache to them both, and death to one.

"It was a recipe for disaster. Mental health on one side, drug abuse and temper on the other. We know that. They did not know or appreciate it at the time, that's the point.

"You must determine what caused that death. We say it was not caused in any significant degree by Ryan Wellings."

Mr Jones said on "four if not five" occasions, Ms Dawes had made "clear and determined" suicide attempts, and that at least three of those were before she ever met Mr Wellings.

He told the jury the prosecution case was "predicated on the assertion" that but for the behaviour of the defendant, Ms Dawes would not have taken her own life.

The defence claims Ms Dawes' accusations against him detailed in her suicide note and in hundreds of text messages between them and to her friends, are either untrue or exaggerated, and any injuries she suffered before her death were a result of his attempts to restrain her, or accidental.

Earlier the court heard Ms Dawes first met Mr Wellings in January 2020 and was "swept off her feet".

He had her name and face tattooed on his body within a week and proposed marriage within three months.

But Ms Dawes told a friend their relationship was a "fairytale (that had) turned into a nightmare", claiming Mr Wellings regularly violent, and had threatened to use a drill on her teeth and acid to disfigure her.

Mr Wellings, a landscape gardener, denies manslaughter and also assault and coercive and controlling behaviour between January 2020 and July 2022.

The trial continues.

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