A man from Addlestone has been jailed for 10 years after his XL Bully dog mauled his elderly mother-in-law to death in what was called a “sustained and repeated attack”.

42 year old Ashley Warren left the animal alone with 68-year-old Esther Martin, pictured, in February 2024 at his property in Jaywick in Essex.

The incident took place just days after new legislation banning with ownership of XL Bullies and the investigation was the first its kind under that new legislation.

Esther was fatally attacked by Warren’s dog Bear, and another adult XL Bully, as she tried to separate some of their eight puppies which were fighting.

She had health and mobility issues and didn’t have experience looking after the dogs on her own.

Police were also able to show the jury at Warren’s trial that Bear was large and difficult to control and that he was struggling to look after the 10 dogs at his property in Hillman Avenue.

The law around dangerous dogs states that if an owner is not present, they must leave their dog with someone who is physically capable of looking after them.

Officers also established that Warren was owning the dogs illegally as he did not possess the relevant exemption certificates for them.

Sentencing him, Mr Justice Johnson says Warren knew the risks.

Daughters of Esther Martin, who was mauled to death by her son-in-law’s XL Bully dog, Kelly Fretwell and Sonia Martin-Cooper speaking outside Chelmsford Crown Court after the sentencing of Ashley Warren.