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A man has been sentenced to over ten years in prison following a tragic incident in which his XL bully dog fatally attacked his mother-in-law. Ashley Warren was handed a sentence of 10 years and three months at Chelmsford Crown Court after the attack took place at his home in Jaywick, Essex, on 3 February 2024. The victim, 68-year-old Esther Martin, was looking after Warren’s two adult dogs, eight puppies, and a child at the time.
Esther Martin had come from Woodford Green in east London to Warren’s residence, where she was tragically mauled by one of the dogs. The court heard details revealing that the dog responsible, named Bear, had not been taken outside for a walk in the four weeks prior to the attack. Additionally, Warren, an amateur rapper, was away in London filming a music video during the incident. Despite knowing Bear was a prohibited dog breed prone to aggression, Warren failed to take necessary precautions to prevent the fatal attack.
Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson KC emphasized Warren’s responsibility during sentencing. He stated, “I am sure that you could and should have reasonably foreseen the risk,” further saying, “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.” The judge also imposed a lifetime ban on Warren owning any dog in the future. The court was told that Martin tried to intervene as the puppies began fighting by using a broom, but was then attacked by the two adult dogs and ultimately killed.
The case revealed more about Warren’s awareness of the threat posed by the dogs. Evidence showed that just days before the attack, Bear had escaped the house, and CCTV footage captured Warren struggling to control him. Police visits preceding the attack included Warren falsely claiming he had exemption paperwork for Bear. Following the fatal incident, the two adult dogs, Bear and Beauty, were put down at the scene, and the puppies were euthanized later. Warren was arrested shortly after being informed of the incident at Clacton railway station. While he was acquitted in relation to the second dog, Beauty, on grounds that she was owned by his girlfriend, he was also found guilty of possessing a knife discovered during his arrest.
The emotional impact of Esther Martin’s death was deeply felt by her family during the sentencing. Her daughter Sonia Martin-Coppen tearfully shared in a victim impact statement, “[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.” Alongside her sister Kelly Fretwell, they described the court’s decision as “[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 unprecedented following recent changes in legislation
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