A 40-YEAR-OLD man has been charged over the death of a grandma after she was mauled to death by two XL Bully dogs.
Esther Martin, 68, was fatally injured after being attacked by the pair of hounds at a property in Jaywick, Essex, on February 3.
Esther was looking after her grandson when the two dogs attacked.
The pensioner was sadly pronounced dead at the scene and cops confirmed at the time the dogs were destroyed.
Cops have now charged Ashley Warren, 40, over Esther’s death.
The charge is the first case of its kind since new laws on owning XL Bullies came into force this year, Essex Police said.
Warren, who is Esther’s son-in-law was charged with two counts of owning or being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.
The 40-year-old rapper, of Walnut Road in Leyton, east London, was also charged with two counts of possession or having custody of a fighting dog.
The force confirmed he was charged with two counts under the Animal Welfare Act, possession of a bladed article and possession of a Class B drug.
Warren is due to appear at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday August 22.
Esther had been visiting her 11-year-old grandson when she is said to have used a broom to distract the dogs’ six puppies that were fighting.
It’s believed the two adult dogs then turned on her.
Ms Martin was heard by neighbours screaming “Get off, get off” as her terrified grandson ran out onto the street to get help.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Weaver said:“I know there has been a huge amount of speculation about the breed and type of dog involved here, but it was really important we got that information right and established the facts.
“We owe it to Esther and her family to ensure we are thorough, professional and, above all, fair.
“XL Bully is not a breed of dog in itself, but a sub-category of the American Bully and identifying categories of a breed can be a complex process.
“It requires a police-trained dog expert to examine the physical features of the dog against specific measurements, in line with the guidelines published by the Government.
“A forensic post-mortem was also carried out by a veterinary scientist and through this combination it was confirmed that the dogs were XL Bullies.
“A team of experienced detectives are continuing their investigation into Esther’s death and continue to make good progress.
“They are committed to getting the answers her family need about what happened and why.”
Chief Supt Weaver added: “I again want to express our thanks to the members of the public who bravely tried to save Esther before our officers arrived on scene.
“What you did was hugely courageous and a reflection of the values of the community of Jaywick.
“I also want to again praise the unflinching bravery and professionalism of the officers who attended and whose actions ensured the community was safe.”
After eleven horrific attacks in 1991, Home Secretary Kenneth Baker promised “to rid the country of the menace of these fighting dogs” by introducing the Dangerous Dogs Act.
The law is often considered controversial as it focuses on a dog’s breed or looks instead of an individual dog’s behaviour, and fails to stem the rise of dog attacks.
According to the RSPCA, over a third of the people killed by dogs since the act was brought in were attacked by legal breeds.
