A grandmother who was attacked by two XL bullys died from “unsurvivable” dog bites, an inquest has heard.
Esther Martin was found dead at a property in Jaywick, Essex, on 3 February along with “two large dogs” – the hearing in Chelmsford was told.
Coroner’s officer Andy Flack said the 68-year-old, who was staying at the address but lived in Woodford Green in east London, was “unresponsive” and that “her injuries were unsurvivable”.
He added Ms Martin was pronounced dead at 4.47pm, with the medical cause of death recorded as “dog bite wounds to the upper right limb” from the XL bullys.
Lincoln Brookes, senior coroner for Essex, suspended the inquest proceedings pending the outcome of a police investigation.
He said: “May I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Ms Martin on what on any view is an extremely tragic death of a loved one.”
While caring for Ashley Warren’s son – also her 11-year-old grandson – Ms Martin was said to have tried to break up fighting puppies when two XL bullys attacked her.
Those dogs were destroyed at the scene and were later confirmed by Essex Police to be XL bullys.
Mr Warren, 39, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous dog offences, and has been bailed until 5 March.
He later said he “didn’t realise they were dangerous” but now believes XL bullys should be “wiped out”.
“I never knew any of this was going to happen. I would’ve never left my son or his nan in that kind of danger,” the rapper told The Sun.
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A ban on XL bully-type dogs came into force on 1 February after a spate of attacks in recent years. It means it is now a criminal offence to own one of the animals in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.
Unregistered pets can be seized and owners fined and prosecuted. People with dangerously out-of-control dogs can be jailed for up to 14 years and banned from owning animals, and their pets can be put down.
The breed was added to the Dangerous Dogs Act at the end of October last year when restrictions came into force dictating the dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.
Breeding, selling or abandoning the dogs also became illegal as of 31 December 2023.
