XL bully owner says he could not predict attack

A man whose XL bullies killed his mother-in-law has told a jury not "in a million years" could he predict his "gentle" dogs attacking her.

Esther Martin, 68, was alone with a child and 10 of the dogs when she was mauled to death at Ashley Warren's house in Jaywick, Essex, on 3 February 2024.

Warren told Chelmsford Crown Court that Martin was a "happy, lovely person" who never expressed unease about the dogs. The breed was banned in the UK two days before the attack.

The 41-year-old denies owning or being in charge of the two dogs - called Bear and Beauty - responsible for killing Martin.

She suffered "dozens and dozens" of bite wounds while watching the two adult dogs and the eight puppies, prosecutors said.

At the time, amateur rapper Warren was filming a music video in London.

Giving evidence, Warren admitted he "could've done a lot more" to make his XL bullies compliant with the law, having kept them unmuzzled.

The adult dogs were destroyed at the scene, and the puppies were put down at a later date.

"I was frightened. I didn't want them to get put down or anything like that so I kept them in the house," he said.

Warren, who was paid benefits monthly, said he had been unable to pay for muzzles or to get the dogs neutered, but insisted he planned to.

"If I was to know this would've happened I would have done it different," he said of Martin's death.

"I couldn't see this coming in a million years."

He said his dogs "weren't raised to attack", adding: "She knew the dogs. I never thought for one second this would happen."

Warren appeared to become emotional in the witness box as a video of all 10 dogs was played to the jury.

He said Beauty was "a gentle, loving, caring dog" and that Bear was "a teddy bear" who "was really gentle".

Warren took a call at 15:37 that day and was told about the attack.

"I tried to get a strong man to go round and save her," he said.

"I said, 'Break the window, kick the door off. Do whatever you have to do'.

"All I was thinking about at that time was Esther. I know she went through a lot of pain."

The court was told Martin, from Woodford Green in east London, would visit the property regularly.

Warren had been in a 14-year relationship with her daughter, Clare, who died suddenly in 2021.

He said of Martin: "She was a very happy, lovely person. She had a lot of energy. I really liked her, she was bubbly.

"She never expressed she was uneasy or not content around the dogs."

Warren bought Bear off Gumtree in March 2023 and told the jury he was handed paperwork for him. He also said he thought this paperwork included an exemption certificate.

He was arrested at Clacton railway station on the day of the attack and allegedly found to be in possession of a knife, which he denies.

The defendant told jurors it was a prop "to create effect" in the music video he was shooting that day.

The trial continues.

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