Jaywick man rebailed over XL bully dog attack that killed woman

Ashley Warren was arrested and released on conditional police bail

A man arrested after the death of a grandmother who was attacked by XL bully dogs has been rebailed until May.

Esther Martin, 68, was visiting her grandson at his home in Jaywick, near Clacton-on-Sea in Essex, on 3 February when she was killed.

An inquest hearing was told police found her with "unsurvivable injuries" and she died from a bite wound to her upper right limb.

Ashley Warren, 39, has been rebailed until 2 May.

Mr Warren was held on suspicion of dangerous dog offences.

Esther Martin was visiting her grandson when she was fatally injured

Senior coroner for Essex Lincoln Brookes told the inquest in February that Ms Martin suffered an "extraordinary, tragic death".

He suspended the inquest at the request of Essex Police for three months while the force continued its criminal investigation.

Hillman Avenue in Jaywick was cordoned off while police investigated the incident

Coroner's officer Andy Flack told the hearing police were called to a disturbance at an address Ms Martin was staying at in Hillman Avenue at 16:00 GMT.

"She was discovered in the property along with two large dogs. She was unresponsive and her injuries were unsurvivable," he said.

Mr Flack said the grandmother, from Woodford Green in London, was pronounced dead at 16:47.

There was a "significant police presence" in the seaside village after the incident

What are XL bully dogs and what is the law?

An XL bully is the largest kind of American bully dog. Other types include standard, pocket and classic.

The government described them as large dogs "with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power for [their] size".

In England and Wales, the breed has been added to the list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. It means breeding, selling or abandoning them is illegal.

• Why are American XL bullies being banned?

Certificate of Exemptions, allowing owners to keep their XL bullies, can no longer be applied for.

American XL bully dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.

Scotland has also announced a ban, which will come into force later in the year.