An aspiring rapper whose two XL Bully dogs mauled a grandmother to death had told police that poodles were a more aggressive breed than his pets, a court has heard.
Ashley Warren, 41, had left Esther Martin, 68, in charge of the animals, as well as eight puppies of the same breed, while he went to ‘meet a lady friend’.
The fatal attack – which happened while a child was in the property – left 5ft 3in Ms Martin with ‘dozens and dozens’ of injuries including a bite through her right arm which severed an artery, jurors were told.
Police were described as having refused to enter the property when they arrived because of the ferocity of the dogs, which they tasered before shooting them.
Just two days earlier the Government had made it a criminal offence to own an XL Bully in England and Wales without a certificate of exemption.
Warren, who sat with his head bowed during the hearing, had not attempted to get a certificate for any of the ten dogs in the property, the prosecution alleges.
Opening the case today, prosecutor Chris Paxton KC said the mauling in Jaywick, Essex, on February 3, 2024, was ‘an accident waiting to happen’ as Ms Martin had mobility issues, a lack of dog training and ‘little to no experience’ of being left alone with them for a prolonged period time.
‘Ashley Warren expected Esther to be able to handle and control these two adult XL Bully dogs, as well as their eight puppies, with the weight, size, power and unpredictability they possessed, with no or minimal training,’ he told Chelmsford Crown Court.
Ashley Warren, 41, had left Esther Martin, 68, in charge of the two XL Bullies, as well as eight puppies of the same breed, while he went to ‘meet a lady friend’, the court was told
Grandmother Esther Martin, 68, was mauled to death at Warren’s house in Jaywick, Essex, on February 3, 2024
Bear, a male who mauled Ms Martin, was shot by police who turned up at the house, the court heard
‘Given Esther’s age and her mobility issues, as well as other factors, Esther was clearly not a fit and proper person to look after these ten dogs in that situation but, no doubt, members of the jury, it suited this defendant to have her do so, so he could pursue his own agenda that day.
‘It was, you may think, a tragedy waiting to happen, given the imbalance that arose between 68-year-old Esther, short in stature, and the towering power of these banned XL Bully dogs.’
He added: ‘Such was the ferocity of the dogs that police officers and emergency services were unable to enter the home until the police deployed and used their tasers.’
An officer who went to the property said the dogs were ‘in a frenzied state’ and ‘formed the view it was not safe to enter the house, believing that (police) were at risk of death or serious injury if they tried to enter’, the prosecutor told jurors.
The defendant’s friend, Lee Poole, had arrived before emergency services and saw the two dogs attacking Ms Martin, the court heard.
He is said to have smashed a window at the property but was unable to enter because the animals were out of control.
The defendant was aware of the XL bully ban, which had been widely covered in the press in the months prior, the court was told.
Police had visited the property 11 days earlier following a dispute between Warren and his ex-girlfriend Jade McSeveney about ownership of Beauty.
Jurors were told that Beauty was pregnant with Bear’s litter. She was also shot by police, some of whom turned up in riot gear
Warren denies charges including being the owner of a dog, namely Bear, and in charge of another dog, Beauty, which caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control in a private place
The scene in Jaywick after emergency services attended
In bodycam footage shown to jurors, Warren was seen telling an officer ‘it’s a shame about the laws’ and ‘my boy’s got papers already’.
Mr Paxton said: ‘If that was a reference to an exemption certificate, that was a lie.’
The XL bullies were seen playing in the footage as the defendant told the officer that the public perception of the breed was ‘mad to me’.
He added: ‘These dogs are so friendly it’s unbelievable, it’s like I’ve only seen them ever attack people when (they’re attacked).’
Warren continued: ‘You get them little poodles that come up to you and go rah, rah, rah, you know – they’re more aggressive.’
Jurors heard that on January 1 that year Warren told his landlord, Barry Gordon, that police were aware he kept XL Bullies.
He also lied to Mr Gordon by saying he had applied for a licence, the court heard.
Mr Paxton said a police dog handler who later visited the tiny chalet-style bungalow found it too messy and small for the two large adult dogs and the litter of puppies.
The police constable noted a blood and bite-mark covered wooden broom near the sofa, no dog toys, and that Bear’s long claws ‘suggested to him that the dogs do not get walked often’, the prosecutor added.
During the hearing, jurors were told that Ms Martin had looked after the dogs four or five times previously but had told other people she was scared of them and had thought of reporting Warren for having them.
Ten officers, some in riot gear including helmets and shields, arrived at the house after she was attacked but were unable to save her. She was declared dead after she was taken out of the house.
A post-mortem examination found she had been bitten on the front and back of her arms, as well as on her torso, legs and head.
In other footage shown in court, Warren could be seen on a previous occasion running up the road outside the house and returning carrying Bear after he had escaped from the house.
The defendant, who is on bail, has pleaded not guilty to being the owner of a dog, namely Bear, which caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control in a private place.
He also denies being in charge of Beauty when she caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control in a private place.
Warren, pictured at court for a previous hearing
The prosecution said Warren accepts that he owned Bear and was in charge of Beauty – who was pregnant with Bear’s pups and who he had been housing, feeding and looking after.
He also accepts that both dogs were dangerously out of control in his house, the court heard.
But the defendant denies the charges on the grounds that he reasonably believed Ms Martin was a ‘fit and proper person to be in charge’ of them, Mr Paxton said.
Warren also denies having a bladed article without good reason or lawful authority at Clacton railway station on February 3, 2024.
He accepts that he had a knife but will argue that it was a prop in a music video that he had been making that day in London with his female friend, the court heard.
The trial continues.
