Three Lancashire Police officers to face misconduct hearings over Kiena Dawes' abuse
Three Lancashire Police officers will face misconduct hearings following the death of a young mother who had suffered prolonged domestic abuse.
23-year-old Fleetwood hairdresser Kiena Dawes 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".
Video footage released shows a catalogue of abuse she suffered including a call to the police when she woke up with a a head injury and blood pouring from her face, while another showed police at her home while she was pregnant and in distress saying ‘he knows there is no-one that can help me’ and ‘I just need it to stop’.
Kiena had also detailed the abuse on her phone disguised as a shopping list.
One 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.
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."
Lancashire Police said they had referred themselves to the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) in July 2022 in relation to contact our officers had with Kiena before her death.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Winstanley said: “My thoughts first and foremost today 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 (Independent Office for Police Conduct) 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.”
He added: “We will seek to learn any lessons we can from Kiena’s tragic death so that we can continue to deliver on our commitment to the communities of Lancashire that we will put victims of crime and vulnerable people at the heart of everything we do.”
On Monday after a seven week trial at Preston Crown Court Wellings, who denied all charges, was found not guilty of her manslaughter but found guilty of assault and coercive and controlling behaviour between January 2020 and July 2022 after a seven week trial at Preston Crown Court.
He has been returned to prison and will be sentenced on Thursday.