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 in February 2024 at his property in Jaywick in Essex.

The breed had been banned in England and Wales two days previously.

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.