Man Sentenced Following Fatal XL Bully Attack
A man has been sentenced to 10 years and three months in prison after his XL bully dog fatally mauled his mother-in-law.
The dog, named Bear, attacked Esther Martin at Ashley Warren's residence in Jaywick, Essex, on 3 February 2024.
Martin, aged 68, was caring for two adult dogs, eight puppies, and a child while Warren, an amateur rapper, was filming a music video in London.
Warren, 41, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court and is the first individual charged under new legislation concerning XL bully dogs.
The court was informed that Bear had not been walked for four weeks prior to the attack.
"I am sure that you could and should have reasonably foreseen the risk,"
"As well as knowing it was prohibited, you knew it had been pent up in the house for weeks, you knew it was capable of being aggressive and you knew Esther Martin could not control it."
Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson KC also imposed an indefinite ban on Warren owning dogs.
Martin, a grandmother, had traveled from Woodford Green in east London to Warren's home. Her daughter Clare had been in a relationship with Warren for 14 years before her sudden death in 2021.
Prosecutors described leaving Martin with the dogs as "a tragedy waiting to happen." Martin was 5ft 3in (1.6m) tall and had limited mobility due to a hip replacement, arthritis, and a limp.
Johnson explained that the puppies "may have started fighting" and that Martin had used a broom to try to separate them.
"The two adult dogs responded by attacking her. She was mauled to death,"
Evidence indicated Warren was aware of the dogs' strength. On 31 January 2024, Bear escaped from the house and Warren chased him outside; CCTV footage showed Warren struggling to restrain the dog.
The day before the attack, Warren had messaged that the animals were "too much for me." Police had visited Warren a week prior, where he falsely claimed to have exemption paperwork for Bear, allegedly purchased on Gumtree.
During his testimony, Warren insisted he could not have predicted his "gentle" dogs would kill someone.
Bear and the other adult dog, Beauty, were euthanized at the scene upon police arrival, and the puppies were later destroyed.
Warren was informed of the attack at 15:37 on 3 February and was arrested upon arriving at Clacton railway station.
Jurors found Warren guilty of owning a dog that caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control in a private place. He was acquitted regarding the second adult dog, Beauty, as she was owned by his girlfriend. Warren was also convicted of possessing a knife found during his arrest.
Martin's family expressed their emotions after sentencing, with some clapping and hugging, while a member of the public gallery audibly expressed approval.
In a victim impact statement, Sonia Martin-Coppen, Esther Martin's daughter, said tearfully:
"[The] last conversation I had with her was about setting a date for my wedding… I've missed out on my mum seeing me in my wedding dress."
Outside Chelmsford police station, Martin-Coppen and her sister Kelly Fretwell read a joint statement:
"[The sentence] is validation of the pain we have endured and a step towards protecting other families from the same nightmare."
Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe of Essex Police described the investigation as "challenging and complex," noting it was "the first of its kind" following the legislative change.
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Warren made a series of unprompted comments about his dogs to police on 23 January 2024.
Ashley Warren said "shut up" as he confronted media outside court on Tuesday.
Statements from Esther Martin's children - Paul Martin, Sonia Martin-Coppen and Kelly Fretwell - were read at court.
(Left-right) Sonia Martin-Coppen and Kelly Fretwell gave a joint statement outside Chelmsford police station.
