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Shivani Chaudhari,Chelmsford Crown Courtand Lewis Adams
John Fairhall/BBC
Ashley Warren was on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court
An amateur rapper has been found guilty of owning or being in charge of an XL bully dog that mauled his mother-in-law to death - two days after the breed was banned.
The pet, named Bear, killed Esther Martin, 68, while she was at Ashley Warren's home in Jaywick, Essex, on 3 February 2024.
Warren was filming a music video in London when Martin suffered "dozens and dozens" of bite wounds.
The 41-year-old, now of Addlestone in Surrey, will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on 1 April.
The jury spent 14 hours and 28 minutes deliberating before coming to a verdict.
Warren sat in the dock wearing a grey hoodie with his head facing down throughout the hearing.
He had denied being the owner or in charge of two dogs caused injury resulting in death while dangerously out of control in a private place.
Jurors found him guilty by a majority of 11 to one of being the owner of Bear but cleared him of being in charge of the other dog, Beauty, which also injured Martin.
He was also found guilty by a majority of 11 to one of possessing a knife at Clacton railway station on 3 February 2024.
Ashley Warren
The jury was shown images of the XL bully puppies - pictured here with Ashley Warren's partner - at the house in Jaywick
Martin, from Woodford Green, east London, was described in court as a "doting and loving grandmother" who had mobility issues that left her with a limp.
Leaving her in charge of the two XL bully dogs, and eight puppies, was a "tragedy waiting to happen", prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC said.
She was attacked within hours of arriving in Jaywick, where Warren had asked her to watch his dogs while he was in London shooting the video.
"Esther suffered dozens and dozens of dog bite marks and wounds, which led to a catastrophic bleed and her death," said Paxton, when opening the trial.
Family handout
Leaving Esther Martin alone with 10 XL bully dogs was "a tragedy waiting to happen", jurors were told
Footage from nearby CCTV, shown to the jury, captured screams coming from the house in Hillman Avenue and dogs barking "in a frenzied state".
The animals were so ferocious that police officers chose to Taser them through a smashed window, rather than enter the house, Paxton said.
But Warren told the jury his XL bullies were "gentle" and that "not in a million years" could he have predicted them attacking anyone.
He wept at times during the trial, insisting "happy, lovely" Martin had never shown any unease about the dogs and that he was "never going to get over" her death.
Warren became the first person to be charged with XL bully-related offences.
He was released on bail ahead of sentencing.
