A court has heard how a grandmother was mauled to death after being left alone with 10 XL bully dogs.
Ashley Warren is accused of owning or being in charge of two XL bully dogs that killed pensioner Esther Martin, 68, in what was described as a “tragedy waiting to happen.”
Body-worn footage played to jurors showed officers pushing in the door as Ms Martin lay inside the property on Hillman Avenue in Jaywick, Essex, on February 3 2024.
Some of the large police crew were carrying riot shields and others fired tasers.
Prosecutor Chris Paxton KC told the court on Monday: “Such was the ferocity of the dogs that police officers and emergency services were unable to enter the home until the police deployed and used their Tasers.”
The court heard how eight XL bully puppies lived in the property with the two adults dogs, named Bear and Beauty.
The mauling came two days after the Government made it a criminal offence to own an XL bully in England and Wales without a certificate of exemption.
The defendant, who sat with his head bowed during the hearing, had not attempted to get a certificate for any of the 10 dogs, the court heard.
Ashley Warren appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court
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PA
Days earlier, on January 23, Warren was interviewed by police about an unrelated incident, as three puppies fidgeted beside him on a sofa.
A clip was played to jurors and the defendant said: “It’s a shame about all the laws and all of that but, you know, as long as I don’t breed them…now I suppose it’s OK.
“I was going to keep four of them for myself but obviously now [with] all the stuff, I’ll just keep him” he said, gesturing at one dog as it played with a ball, adding: “My boy’s got papers already, my Bear.”
He continued: “These bullies, I’m telling you, it’s a shame about what everyone thinks about them and everything man, because they are one of the friendliest dogs that I know. I’ve had a lot of breeds [of] dogs and these dogs are so loyal and friendly it’s unbelievable.
“I’ve only seen them try to attack people when someone’s tried to attack the owners. So yeah, it’s just mad to me.”
FAMILY HANDOUT
A Ring doorbell clip from January 31, 2024, the deadline for owners to apply for the exemption, captured Warren running down the residential street outside his house after Bear had escaped.
The defendant could be seen leaning backwards to carry the dog that was not muzzled or on a lead.
Government guidance published on December 31, 2023 said it would be against the law to own any XL bully in a public place without either restraint.
After playing the video, Mr Paxton said: “If the defendant struggled, as this video shows he did, how would the 5ft 3in 68-year-old Esther Martin cope with these XL bully adult dogs?”
Warren had asked Ms Martin to mind the animals so that he could travel to London to film a music video, the prosecutor said.
This was despite her mobility issues, lack of dog training and “little to no experience” of being left alone with them for a prolonged period time, he added.
Police officers attended the scene in Jaywick | PA
Warren, who is on bail, has pleaded not guilty to being the owner of a dog named Bear which caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control in a private place.
He also denies being a person in charge of a dog named Beauty which caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control in a private place.
The prosecution said Warren accepts that he owned Bear and was in charge of Beauty, which was his girlfriend’s dog and which he had been housing, feeding and looking after.
He also accepts that both dogs were dangerously out of control in his house, the court heard.
Hillman Avenue, Jaywick, Essex, where Ester Martin was killed by an XL Bully | PA
The defendant denies the charge on the grounds that he reasonably believed Ms Martin was a “fit and proper person to be in charge” of them, Mr Paxton said.
Warren also denies having a bladed article without good reason or lawful authority at Clacton railway station on February 3, 2024.
The defendant accepts that he had a knife but is to argue that it was a prop in a music video that he had been making that day in London, the court heard.
The trial continues at Chelmsford Crown Court.