Tragic Final Moments of Grandmother Left Alone with XL Bullies
A vulnerable grandmother had no hope of defending herself when she was trapped at home with ten XL bully dogs, a court has heard. Esther Martin, 68, was caring for two adult dogs named Beauty and Bear, along with eight puppies, when the catastrophic attack occurred.
"A Tragedy Waiting to Happen"
Esther Martin had been looking after the powerful dogs for her son-in-law, Ashley Warren, at his property in Jaywick, Essex. Warren, a 41-year-old aspiring rapper, had traveled to London to film a music video and meet a female acquaintance, leaving the grandmother alone with the animals.
The court described the situation as "a tragedy waiting to happen." Esther, who stood just 5ft 3in tall and had mobility issues following a hip replacement, had no formal dog training and minimal experience being left alone with the XL bullies for extended periods.
Horrific Attack Details Emerge
When the two adult dogs set upon her, Esther suffered what prosecutors called "dozens and dozens" of wounds. These included a bite that penetrated through the tissue of her arm and completely fractured the bone. Chilling footage shown to jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court captured Esther's frantic screams amid the sounds of barking dogs during her final moments on February 3, 2024.
Prosecutor Chris Paxton KC argued that "no one would reasonably believe that Esther could control those dogs with the physicality and power that they clearly possessed." The attack occurred just two days after the XL bully ban came into force on February 1, 2024.
Son-in-Law Sentenced to Prison
This week, Ashley Warren was jailed for 10 years and three months after his dog, Bear, killed Esther Martin. He was cleared of responsibility for the other adult dog, Beauty, which belonged to his girlfriend. The sentencing comes as similar attacks continue across the country.
On March 31, XL bully breeder Sean Garner was found guilty of causing the death of 84-year-old John McColl. The pensioner was fatally attacked by Garner's dog Toretto on February 24, 2025, after mistakenly entering the owner's driveway while returning home from a pub.
Ongoing Danger Despite Breed Restrictions
Neighbors attempted to save John McColl by using a brush and golf club to fend off the "large, savage" dog, but their efforts proved futile. Witnesses reported that the animal "guarded" John "as if he were its prey or food." John succumbed to his injuries a month after the attack.
Veterinary examination of Toretto revealed only human flesh and plastic fragments in the dog's stomach, with no dog food present. Garner will be sentenced on April 17 following a unanimous guilty verdict reached after just two hours of jury deliberations.
Breed Creator Speaks Out Against Ban
Under legislation that took effect in February 2024, it is now a criminal offense to own or possess an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate. Dave Wilson, who developed the XL bully breed in the United States during the 1990s, has criticized the UK government's ban.
Wilson claims he intended to create a "docile" companion animal by cross-breeding American Staffordshire terriers with American bulldogs. He argues that aggressive behavior stems from "greedy breeders" and "irresponsible owners" rather than inherent breed characteristics.
"This is a human issue, not a canine issue," Wilson stated in an Instagram post. "It's irresponsible dog owners."
Alarming Statistics on Dog Attacks
Despite the breed restrictions, dog attacks continue to rise. In the year leading up to the UK-wide ban, there were eight serious dog attacks in Britain, six of which proved fatal. XL bully dogs were responsible for half of all fatal dog attacks in the UK since the pandemic began.
According to NHS data, there were a record 9,424 hospital admissions resulting from dog attacks in 2024, representing a one-third increase over the past decade. Freedom of Information figures obtained from police forces revealed 31,920 dog attacks on people in England and Wales during 2024, a 2% increase from the previous year.
At least 23 people lost their lives to dog attacks in the three years prior to the ban, with American XL bullies or similar breeds suspected in 12 of those fatal incidents. The breed first arrived in Britain in 2014 but saw a significant surge in popularity during COVID-19 lockdown periods.
