Tragic hairdresser told pal 'keep my daughter away from the monster that is called her dad', court hears

The best friend of a vulnerable young mum who said she was 'murdered' by her partner fought back tears as she appeared in the witness box.

Kiena Dawes, 23, took her own life on a railway line after reporting a two year campaign of abuse by her partner Ryan Wellings, LancsLive reports. Wellings, 30, denies manslaughter, ABH and coercive control at Preston Crown Court.

The prosecution says Kiena was "ground down" by the abuse, which led to her suicide in July 2022. On July 22, 2022, Kiena dropped her baby daughter off at the home of her friend Kacie Valentine, leaving her mobile phone on a table.

Her body was found shortly before 1pm. Ms Valentine, who met Kiena at Rory Blair's salon in Fleetwood, where both women completed their apprenticeships, spoke of the abuse Kiena told her she suffered. She said they were best friends and messaged each other daily.

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She said she and Kiena had been pregnant at the same time but Kiena's pregnancy was "not a happy one". On one occasion, Kiena sent her photographs of a bruised and swollen eye, after she alleged Wellings had hit her in the face while she was pregnant.

On another occasion, in December 2021, she said Kiena arrived at her home with her baby daughter, both wearing their pyjamas, saying Wellings had "turned a drill on her". Kiena said Wellings had threatened to 'drill her teeth out', Ms Valentine told the court.

In a series of messages on March 11, 2022, Kiena told her friend she was struggling to pay bills and money she owed. Meanwhile, Wellings was browsing motorbikes online and asking to take £2,500 finance out in her name.

Later that evening, she said Wellings had attacked her, and left a hole in the wall which would need to be paid for. "He's never battered me like that before," Kiena wrote. She said Wellings had dunked her in the baby bath and strangled her during the attack.

On another occasion, Ms Valentine said Kiena was shaking as she told her Wellings had threatened to set fire to her car. As the two women sat in the vehicle, they saw Wellings had changed his Facebook profile picture to an image of him sitting in a car with a lighter, Ms Valentine told the court.

Speaking of the abuse, she said: "I told Kiena I couldn't sit back and not do anything about it. She always said if you say anything, my daughter will be taken away from me, which was planted in her head."

She added: "I think she wanted to end the relationship but she said she would never get away from him, he would never leave her alone."

Between April and July 2022, there was a gap in the women's messages. In a July message shown to the jury, Kiena wrote: "I've been gone for months because I don't know what to say or who to trust any more. Made to think everyone around me was bad."

On July 22, Kiena phoned her friend saying she "couldn't do it anymore". She was asking her friend to take care of her daughter as she did not want her to live with "monster" Wellings, the prosecution said.

Ms Valentine stayed on the phone with Kiena for around three hours, trying to keep her calm and safe, until Kiena said she was on her way over at 11.15am. Ms Valentine went for a quick shower but when she got out discovered Kiena had dropped her daughter off, with a bag, and her mobile phone with the PIN code showing as the lockscreen to enable her to open the phone. Kiena was nowhere to be seen, she told the court.

She opened the phone and discovered the note Kiena had left in which she said she said she hoped her daughter was "kept away from the monster that is called her dad".

She said: "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."

Wellings denies manslaughter, ABH and coercive control. The trial continues.