An aspiring rapper’s XL Bully dogs fatally attacked his mother-in-law while he recorded a music video, a court was informed.

Esther Martin, aged 68, sustained “numerous” bite injuries at Ashley Warren’s residence in Jaywick, Essex, on February 3, 2024, according to Chelmsford Crown Court.

Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC stated that allowing the “caring and affectionate grandmother” to be left alone with ten XL Bullies—banned in England only two days prior to the incident—created “a recipe for disaster.”

Warren, 41, claims he does not own or have control over the two dogs involved in Martin’s death.

In his opening statement, Paxton indicated that Warren had failed to apply for an exemption certificate for his dogs—Bear, Beauty, and their eight puppies—despite knowing they were prohibited.

Martin had come from Woodford Green in East London to help look after the dogs and a child so Warren could shoot a music video in London. Unfortunately, she was attacked “within a few hours” of her arrival, Paxton explained.

“Esther suffered a multitude of dog bites and injuries, which resulted in significant bleeding and led to her death,” he stated to the jury.

The intensity of the dogs’ aggression prevented police and emergency responders from entering the house until officers were forced to use Tasers, Paxton noted.

A doctor was flown to Warren’s home after the incident, but Martin was declared dead upon being retrieved from the scene, he added.

Nearby CCTV captured the sound of screams from the residence on Hillman Avenue along with dogs barking “in a frenzied manner.”

As the footage was shown in court, Warren broke down in tears and refused to watch.

Paxton remarked that leaving Martin alone with such “ferocious” dogs was “a tragedy waiting to happen,” especially given the physical disparity between the 68-year-old woman and the powerful XL Bullies.

However, he claimed this arrangement benefited Warren, allowing him to “pursue his own interests” in London.

In another video presented to the court, Warren told police that his XL Bullies, acquired via Gumtree, were “the friendliest dogs I know” and suggested that poodles were “more aggressive.”

Contrary to this assertion, Paxton argued that the inherent risks posed by the dogs were “obvious to everyone, which is why strict regulations exist that Warren allegedly chose to disregard.”

He also mentioned that Martin had previously expressed concerns about the dogs’ aggressive behavior and had urged Warren to consider selling them.

During that discussion, it was alleged that Warren remarked, “he didn’t care about what anyone said,” the jury was informed.

Warren had been in a long-term relationship with Martin’s daughter for 14 years before her passing in 2021.

He was the first person to face charges related to XL Bully offenses following Martin’s death, just two days after the new laws took effect.

Currently residing in Surrey, Warren was apprehended at Clacton railway station after returning from London, where a knife was found in his possession.

The court heard his explanation that it was a prop for his music video, with Paxton labeling him as “an aspiring rap artist.”

Jurors learned that Warren believed Beauty belonged to his new partner and insisted that he was not in control of Bear at the time of the attack.

The trial is ongoing.