Monday, May 11, 2026
Three people have been sentenced for committing contempt of court by discussing evidence whilst a defendant was part-heard during a manslaughter trial.
Between 20th December 2024 and January 2025 Ryan Wellings was part way through giving evidence during a trial in which he was accused of the manslaughter of Fleetwood mum Kiena Dawes, as well as engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Wellings was later cleared of manslaughter but found guilty of engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was jailed for six and a half years.
During the six-week trial, he had been warned by the Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham not to discuss his evidence with anybody.
However, information came to light that he had been discussing his evidence with 29-year-old Emma Croft and 53-year-old Lisa Green. He offences happened on 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 31st December 2024 and 2nd January 2025.
Wellings, Croft and Green admitted to committing contempt of court when they appeared at Preston Crown Court last month.
Last year, Green and 51-year-old Michael Wellings appeared at the same court last year where they admitted to kidnapping their granddaughter – who cannot be named for legal reasons - weeks after Kiena’s death.
At 10am on 19th August 2022, Kiena’s grandmother left an address in Blackpool with the child in her pram.
A man who she didn’t know – who later transpired to be Michael Wellings – approached her and said: “excuse me love.”
He then forcibly removed her hands from the handle of the pushchair, before unclipping the child from her pushchair, picking her up and running off towards a blue car.
A second person unknown to the victim – who was later found to be Green – was stood next to the open car door shouting: “get her.”
The child was located a short time later and Green and Wellings were arrested.
Green, Michael and Ryan Wellings and Croft all appeared in the dock at Preston Crown Court on Friday (8th May) where they were sentenced to the following.
Ryan Wellings, of no fixed address, was jailed for a further seven months.
Green, of Haddon Road, Bispham, was given a 15-month custodial sentence, suspended for 20 months. She was also given a 26-week curfew between 7pm and 6am and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Michael Wellings, of Housman Close, Bispham, was given a nine-month custodial sentence, suspended for 20 months. He was also given a 26-week curfew between 7pm and 6am and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Croft, of Sandpiper Avenue in Poulton-le-Fylde, was given a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for 20 months.