Man jailed for more than 10 years for causing fatal dog attack in Jaywick
68-year-old Esther Martin died in February 2024 after being attacked by an XL Bully owned by Ashley Warren
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A man has been jailed for more than 10 years over a fatal XL bully attack, which killed a 68 year old grandmother in Jaywick.
The courtroom erupted in a family argument as victim statements were read.
Ashley Warren, 41, appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court, after being found guilty last month of owning an XL bully dog called Bear which mauled Esther Martin to death while dangerously out of control at his then home in Jaywick, Essex, on February 3 2024.
In court today, Ashley Warren pled guilty to owning a banned dog breed, and pled not guilty against two counts of ignoring the animal welfare act.
Miss Sonia Martin, Esther's daughter, read her victim statement to the courtroom.
She said: "the emotional toil has been incredible."
"I recall the experience as totally numbing."
"I struggled to breath, and I felt crushed by the news that I heard."
"Mum was the first person to be killed in the UK by an XL bully dog."
She told the court that she believes the law against XL bullies was brought in to target people like Ashley Warren.
She said she wakes up in the night hearing her mum's screams, and said she fears for what her mum had to go through.
"I am left with a huge amount of anger, towards Ashley Warren." "My over-riding emotion is pure anger."
She told the court that she holds Ashley Warren "entirely responsible" for the death of her mother.
The Prosecution told the court that Esther Martin should not have been caring for the XL bullies, and that the attack on her lasted for "at least 12 minutes".
Warren was cleared of being in charge of another XL bully called Beauty, which also injured Ms Martin.
The defence presented Mr Justice Johnson with a written letter from the defendant, and in mitigation said "they wholly recognise" the impact of the case.
They said there is "no reliable evidence" that Ashley Warren's XL bullies were trained to be aggressive, and they mentioned that the dogs were well cared for as noted in police visits in 2023.
He was also found guilty of one count of possessing a knife at Clacton railway station on February 3 2024, by a majority of 11 to one.
Ms Martin was left with the two XL bullies, named Beauty and Bear, and their eight puppies on 3rd February 2024, while Warren travelled to London to film a music video.
The mauling came two days after the Government made it a criminal offence to own an XL bully in England and Wales without a certificate of exemption.
The court heard in February that Warren had not applied for certificates for any of the 10 animals.