The hearing reveals that a young mother wrote “I was murdered” in a suicide note after suffering alleged abuse

A defenseless young mother laid herself down in front of an express train after leaving a suicide note in which she claimed “I was murdered” after years of alleged abuse by her ex-boyfriend, the court heard.

The last words of 23-year-old hairdresser Kiena Dawes were shown to the jurors at Preston Crown Courtread: “The end. I fought hard, I fought long. I went through pain that no one could imagine.

“I was murdered. Ryan Wellings killed me. He destroyed every bit of strength I had left. I didn’t deserve this.

“I hope my life will save another life thanks to faster police action. Don’t let your oppressors live free.”

Wellings, 30, denies murder, assault and controlling and coercive behavior to Mrs. Dawes during their two-year relationship.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Paul Greaney KC told the jury that on July 22, 2022, Ms Dawes, of Fleetwood, Lancashire, went to a friend’s house.

The “brilliant and popular” young mother got in, then sat in the car seat with her nine-month-old daughter in it, and left the house while her friend was taking a shower, Greaney said.

She then headed to a country road near the West Coast Main Line. She was later hit by a train traveling at 180 km/h.

A suicide note was found on Mrs. Dawes’ phone, which was said to have been left at a friend’s house with her daughter.

The note, shown on a screen in court Tuesday, was also addressed directly to her daughter.

“I’m sorry I let you go… I’m so sorry I had to go,” she wrote.

“The world has turned its back on me. I was strong. I had dreams. At one point I had a future. That was taken away from me.”

In the note, she added that she hoped her daughter was “kept away from the monster called her dad.”

Mr Greaney told jurors Ms Dawes’ words represented the prosecution’s position that her death was caused by Mr Wellings’ actions and he was guilty of manslaughter.

He alleged that, from the beginning of their relationship, Mr Wellings repeatedly subjected Ms Dawes to controlling and coercive behavior, abuse and violence over an extended period of time.

The court heard Ms Dawes was diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder, which results in increased impulsivity, low self-esteem and difficulties in relationships.

Mr Wellings took advantage of her mental state, jurors heard, and while that condition played a role in her decision to take her own life, so did his abuse, including the final attack that left her in hospital 11 days before her death.

The defendant claims that Mrs. Dawes’s accusations against him are either false or exaggerated, and that any injuries she suffered prior to her death were the result of his attempts to restrain her or were accidental.

The pair first met through Ms Dawes’ brother, a friend of the defendant, in January 2020 and an “intense” relationship began. Within weeks, the court heard, Wellings had his new girlfriend’s name and face tattooed on his body.

After the first Covid lockdown began, Mrs Dawes moved to Dorset and soon after to Wellings.

However, in May 2020, a friend of Ms Dawes visited the flat and found it dilapidated, and told her friend that Mr Wellings had tried to strangle her with an iPhone charger cable.

On another occasion, Mr Wellings accused Ms Dawes of sleeping with their friend, shouted at her that she was a “slag”, threw a table at her and, he claims, told her to kill herself.

Mrs. Dawes ran away from home but later returned, a recurring pattern in their relationship.

The process continues.

If you are feeling anxious or are struggling to cope, you can speak to Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK & ROI), email [email protected] or visit Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you live in the US and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access the online chat at 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free and confidential crisis hotline, available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a hotline near you