Kiena Dawes manslaughter trial hears from the accused for the first time

A man accused of driving his partner to suicide through domestic abuse assaulted a previous girlfriend after losing his temper while on drink and drugs, a court has heard.

Ryan Wellings, 30, is accused of the manslaughter of Kiena Dawes, 23, who left a suicide note saying, "I was murdered ... Ryan Wellings killed me."

She left their eight-month-old daughter with a friend before taking her own life on July 22 2022, Preston Crown Court heard.

Giving evidence at his trial on Tuesday, Wellings said he had taken a "lot of drugs" and drank a "lot of alcohol" before he assaulted his former girlfriend when she picked him up from his uncle's house in 2019.

He admitted he had lost his temper and when asked why, said: "Because I was on drugs and alcohol."

The court heard he had admitted an offence of battery following the incident, during which he also damaged her car and tried to hit his father.

When he was arrested, he told the officer: "It's all kicked off. I've been at a party and taken loads of coke. I have a problem."

Wellings, of Bispham, Lancashire, also admitted having punched a friend after a night out in August 2023.

John Jones KC, defending, asked if he had lost his temper on that occasion and Wellings said: "I did because he was belittling me in front of my friends."

He pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm earlier this year, the court heard.

Honorary Recorder of Preston Judge Robert Altham told the jury it would have to decide whether the previous convictions proved Wellings had the propensity to commit acts of violence.

The defendant, wearing a navy blue suit and with a heavily tattooed neck, told the jury he had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and had tried to kill himself on five previous occasions.

Wellings said he had tried to hang himself in 2015 or 2016 when the twin daughters he had with his previous partner were a couple of years old.

He took overdoses, of steroids or medication, on four other occasions, he said.

Wellings told the jury: "I had children and I couldn't stop taking drugs and it made me want to kill myself."

He said he would take around £400 worth of cocaine, or 20 bags, in binges.

He was prescribed anti-depressants after going to the GP but was told he could not take them with drugs so stopped using them when he had cocaine, he said.

Wellings is also accused of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour between January 2020 and July 2022, which he denies.

He met Miss Dawes, a hairdresser from Fleetwood, Lancashire, in January 2020 and she was "swept off her feet", her mother told the court.

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

But it is alleged that Wellings began physically and emotionally abusing Miss Dawes soon after, and she told a friend their relationship was a "fairy tale turned into a nightmare".

The case was adjourned to Wednesday, when Wellings will continue his evidence. If you want to talk to someone, call the Samaritans on 116 123 First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.