Police misconduct hearings after mum’s death

Three police officers are facing misconduct hearings following the death of a woman who had suffered prolonged domestic abuse.

Kiena Dawes, 23, left a note on her mobile phone saying her 30-year-old partner Ryan Wellings had “killed me” before she took her own life in Barnacre, near Preston, on 22 July 2022.

One Lancashire Police officer faces disciplinary charges for alleged gross misconduct while two others are accused of misconduct in connection with contact the hairdresser from Fleetwood had with police before her death.

Wellings, from Bispham in Lancashire, was on Monday found guilty of assault and prolonged domestic violence but cleared of her manslaughter.

It can now also be reported that Wellings’ mother Lisa Green and girlfriend Emma Scott are under police investigation for allegedly “coaching” him on how to give evidence during his six-week trial at Preston Crown Court.

Jurors heard Ms Dawes had reported landscape gardener Wellings for breaching his bail conditions by contacting her after he had been arrested for attacking her two weeks before she died.

A police officer dismissed the hairdresser’s complaint, however, and she was also urged to delete a Facebook post in which she wrote about the abuse she had suffered. In that social media post she did not name Wellings as the man responsible.

In the note on her phone, Ms Dawes wrote: “I hope my life saves another by police services acting faster.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said three officers had cases to answer. The police watchdog said a fourth officer had been cleared.

The disciplinary hearings will take place in due course and Lancashire Police said “lessons will be learned” from the case.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Winstanley said: “My thoughts first and foremost are with Kiena’s loved ones.

“I hope that these guilty verdicts give them some sense justice has been done.

“We referred ourselves to the IOPC in July 2022 in relation to contact our officers had with Kiena before her death.

“Their investigation concluded last year and following the conclusion of the criminal proceedings three officers will now face misconduct proceedings.

“It would not be appropriate to comment any further at this point on those proceedings.”

Meanwhile the lead prosecutor in the trial, Paul Greaney KC, explained there had been reports of Wellings discussing the case with his mother and sister while on remand at HMP Preston.

Wellings was in the middle of giving evidence – and while entitled to speak to family and friends, he was not legally allowed to discuss his case with them.

Mr Greaney told the court: “There’s going to be an investigation into this by the police because, on the face of it, there’s been a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.”

Judge Robert Altham banned both women from entering the courtroom until the jury returned its verdicts.