A man has been jailed following a fatal dog attack at an Essex home after a court found clear warnings were ignored and legal requirements not followed.Esther Martin, the 68-year-old mother-in-law of British rapper Ashley Warren, has been jailed for 10 years and three months after being mauled to death by two XL bully dogs. The incident occurred on February 3, 2024, at his home in Jaywick, Essex. The attack comes two days after new laws came into force in England and Wales banning breeds without an exemption certificate.Prosecutors told the court Warren asked Martin to look after two adult XL bully dogs and eight puppies while he traveled to London to film a music video. Martin is 5 feet 3 inches tall, has limited mobility and lacks the experience of caring for a dog on his own. The dogs had not been walked for four weeks and were kept in a confined space, increasing the risk of aggressive behavior. The attack began when she tried to separate the fighting puppies and lasted for at least 12 minutes.Martin suffered multiple bite wounds all over his body, including severe damage to his arm and broken bones. She later died from severe blood loss. Prosecutor Christopher Paxton described the case as “a tragedy waiting to happen.”Police used a Taser on the dog before entering the property. Sentencing him at Chelmsford Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Johnson said the attack was foreseeable and noted the law had been widely publicized before it came into force. He told Warren he knew the breed was banned but took no steps to comply. A court found him guilty of keeping an out-of-control dog named Bear, which caused his death. He was absolved of responsibility for his girlfriend’s second dog, “Beauty.”The judge also said the dogs were kept in poor conditions and not exercised, which increased the potential for aggression. He added that Warren’s actions showed a disregard for the law and the safety of others.Warren was given an additional three months in prison that day for carrying a knife at Clacton train station, which he claimed was a prop for his music video. The court heard he had previous convictions for 15 offences, including nine of robbery, assault and affray.In statements read in court, Martin’s daughters described the lasting impact of her death. Kelly Fretwell said she was troubled by her mother’s final moments and believed Warren was responsible. Sonia Martin-Coppen said their mother had a great sense of humor and would be remembered as a loving parent, grandmother and friend.There were emotional scenes in the courtroom when the verdict was announced. There was a brief disturbance during the hearing before order was restored. Outside court, family members said the verdict brought some relief but nothing to make up for their losses.
