Rapper Sentenced for XL Bully Dog Attack Resulting in Elderly Woman's Death

An aspiring rapper, Ashley Warren, has been sentenced to over ten years in prison following his conviction for owning an XL bully dog that fatally mauled an elderly woman.

Prosecutors revealed that Warren had requested Esther Martin to care for two XL bully dogs and eight puppies at his residence in Jaywick, Essex, while he traveled to London for a music video shoot.

On February 3, 2024, just two days after legislation prohibiting the breed took effect on February 1, 2024, the two dogs attacked Ms. Martin, aged 68. The new law makes it illegal to own or possess an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.

Warren, 41, was convicted of being the owner of a dog named Bear that caused fatal injuries while being dangerously out of control in a private setting. He was acquitted at Chelmsford Crown Court of being responsible for another dog named Beauty that belonged to his girlfriend, which also attacked.

At the same court on March 31, Warren was sentenced to a total of ten years and three months in prison.

The earlier trial revealed that Warren had left Ms. Martin alone with the two dogs and their puppies at his home on Hillman Avenue in Jaywick, despite her mobility challenges and the fact that she had received no training to manage dogs of that stature.

Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC argued that it was unreasonable to expect Ms. Martin to control the powerful dogs, emphasizing that having two adult XL bully dogs along with eight puppies posed an overwhelming risk.

Within hours of their encounter, Ms. Martin suffered numerous injuries, including a severe bite to her arm that fractured the bone completely, as detailed in court.

Mr. Paxton described the situation as a “tragedy waiting to happen,” given the stark disparity between the elderly woman’s physical abilities and the strength of the banned XL bully dogs.

Police had visited the property eleven days prior to the incident for an unrelated reason. A video shown to jurors featured Warren making statements about his dogs and the implications of regulations concerning dog ownership.

Mr. Paxton asserted that Warren's claims about an exemption certificate were misleading, with Warren ultimately admitting that he did not possess any valid exemption.

Additionally, Warren was found guilty of possessing a blade without lawful justification at Clacton railway station on February 3, 2024, after officers discovered a knife he claimed was a prop for a music video he was filming that day in London.