When the police visited Ashley Warren’s home in Jaywick, Essex, he told them his XL bully dogs were misunderstood, even suggesting they were less vicious than a poodle.
Yet 10 days later, and two days after their ownership became illegal without a certificate of exemption, they mauled his mother-in-law to death.
Esther Martin, 68, had been left in the property with the two dogs, eight puppies and a child while Warren filmed a music video in London on 3 February 2024.
The amateur rapper was alerted to screams coming from his property in Hillman Avenue and demanded “someone that’s strong, really strong” went immediately.
But it was too late. Martin suffered “dozens and dozens” of catastrophic bites and was dead within minutes.
Warren, 41, was arrested upon his return to Clacton railway station and became the first person in the UK to be charged with XL bully-related offences.
He has now been found guilty of owning one of the dogs, called Bear, responsible for killing Martin.
He was cleared of being in charge of the other dog, Beauty, which also injured Martin, but belonged to his girlfriend.