Jaywick dog attack: Rapper Ashley Warren boasted ‘don’t tell me what to do with my dogs’ as XL bully ban was introduced
THE rapper owner of two “unregistered XL Bullies” which mauled a gran to death had said: “Don’t tell me what to do with my f***ing dogs”, it was claimed today.
Ashley Warren, who goes by the stage name Wyless Man, came out with the outburst when new laws were outlined for the aggressive breed following a series of fatal attacks.
Police arrested 39-year-old Warren following the tragedy and were last night carrying out tests on the dogs — which were destroyed at his home after killing Esther Martin — to confirm they were XL Bullies.
He has since been released on conditional bail until March 5.
Esther, 68, was babysitting her grandson — Warren’s son — over the weekend when the dogs turned on her as she tried to shoo their six puppies with a broom.
There was apparently blood everywhere inside. Her head was covered in blood.
Julie Coleman, Neighbour
The terrified 11-year-old dashed into the street in Jaywick, Essex, to raise the alarm as his gran was heard screaming: “Get off, get off.”
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Hero neighbours ran to help and used shovels to try to break back into the house, with one heard to shout: “Are you all right? Give me a sign.”
Resident Julie Coleman, 62, said: “One fella was shouting and banging on the window with his fist.
“He picked up a brick and broke the window. There was apparently blood everywhere inside. Her head was covered in blood.”
It was too late to help Esther, who was pronounced dead at the scene when police arrived at around 4pm on Saturday.
Her grandson is said to be traumatised having also lost his mum Claire to an illness two years ago.
Esther’s family, who left flowers at the scene yesterday, claim the dogs — Bear, two, and Beauty, four — were XL Bullies and claimed that Warren opposed the new rules.
Her daughter Sonia, 47, alleged he had even said, “Don’t tell me what to do with my own f***ing dogs” when the regulations were being brought in for the breed.
And Esther’s son Paul, 45, told The Sun: “She came to visit her grandson.
“The owner of the bullies decided to go out and leave mum with six XL Bully puppies and two adults.
“We believe they are all unregistered and uninsured.”
It is understood that concerns had previously been raised about the dogs with the local authority and it is believed Esther was wary of them due to their temperament.
One fearful local said he avoided the house where they were kept because they were “proper aggressive”.
He said: “They were always barking and trying to get through the gate. They would attack the gate.”
It became a crime in England and Wales to own an XL Bully without a certificate on Thursday last week.
Some locals claimed Warren bred the dogs and regularly walked them up and down the street, looking menacing.
Dangerous Dogs Act explained
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.
As of December 31 last year, it became illegal to sell, breed or give away XL Bully dogs under the Act.
From February 1, it became illegal to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.
Anyone found in possession of an XL Bully and is not meeting the strict rules will have their dog taken away and face prosecution and a criminal record.
It comes after a spate of fatal attacks, which saw 11 deaths linked to XL Bullies in just three years.
But his gran Carol Stotter, 76, insisted the animals were his pets and were never being bred or sold.
She said he was a loving owner, was careful to keep them locked inside the property and said she was shocked when her daughter rang to tell her of his arrest.
Speaking from her home in Walton, Essex, she said: “From what I’ve heard from Ashley, the dogs haven’t been aggressive. I think with the puppies around it probably changed their behaviour.
“Those dogs were his pets. I think the female got pregnant which was not planned.”
She added: “Ashley loved the dogs. They were not there for any other purpose but his pets.
“He was never cruel to anybody. He was very careful. He kept the fence in good order to keep the dogs from going stray. They never attacked anybody.”
She went on: “All this has come as a terrible shock. I couldn’t believe it.
“I’m just sorry for the little boy. He’s going to suffer.”
Ashley’s mum, Michelle Stotter, 55, wept as she told how he had been trying to give the dogs away to “good homes”.
She said “I just don’t know what my grandson will think now.
“He lost his mum and now he has lost his grandma in this nightmare situation.
“Claire was a wonderful girl and a great mum. She and Ashley had broken up before she died but they were still in touch because of my grandson.
“After Claire passed away, Esther looked after him for a while. It’s what he wanted. Esther went over all the time. They were very close.
“I know Esther. She was a wonderful woman. We are all heartbroken. Esther knew the dogs and I am shocked that this has happened. They have never done anything like this before.
“Ashley has had the dogs since they were puppies. He didn’t breed them. He wanted to give the puppies away to good homes but because of the ban he’d struggled.”
Essex Police’s Chief Supt Glen Pavelin said at a press conference today: “When officers entered the house, their priority was to keep the community safe.
“Their unflinching bravery and professionalism ensured that there is no ongoing threat to the people of Essex.
“Both dogs were destroyed inside the house. I would also like to thank the local people who tried to get into the house to help Esther Martin. You should be proud.”
Under the new regulation, XL Bully owners must have them muzzled and on a lead when in public.
To qualify for an exemption certificate, they have to have proved their dog had been neutered by June 30 last year.
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Puppies that were less than a year old as of Wednesday must be neutered by the end of this year.
Did you see what happened? Contact: Jonathan.Rose@mcb777.fun
Fatal XL Bully attacks
Ian "Scouse" Langley, 54, was protecting his puppy when the animal pounced on him outside a home in Sunderland in October 2023.
Ian Price, 52, was viciously savaged in September 2023 by the beasts as he tried to protect his elderly mum from them after they escaped.
Jonathan Hogg, 37, was killed in May 2023 entered the dog's pen when it went for him, leaving bite wounds on his arm, leg and head.
Natasha Johnston, 28, was mauled to death while walking a pack of dogs in January 2023 was believed to have been killed by her own pet - an American Bully XL.
Shirley Patrick, 83, died 17 days after being mauled in a “hellish”, violent dog attack in December 2022.
Ian Symes, 34, who was known to friends as "Wiggy", died at a recreation ground in Fareham, , after the savage attack in August 2022.
Joanne Robinson, 43, was fatally mauled by pet Rocco at her home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire in July 2022.
Keven Jones, 62, went into cardiac arrest after being bitten by Cookie-Doe at Chanel Fong's home in Wrexham, North Wales in May 2022.
Bella-Rae Birch, one, was mauled to death in March 2022 at her home by the American Bully XL.
, 10, was killed by a hulking XL Bully dog named Beast in November 2021 as he played at friend's home in Caerphilly.
BANNED WEEK AGO
NEW laws came into force last week making it illegal to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales without a certificate.
Restrictions were introduced at the end of last year requiring the dogs to be kept on a lead and muzzled at all times in public.
Breeding, selling or abandoning them also became illegal.
However, owners had until the end of January to apply for an exemption certificate.
They had to prove the dog was neutered, microchipped and insured.
Having a banned dog can lead to the owner getting six months in jail.
Owners of a dog responsible for a fatal attack face up to 14 years.