A WOMAN was left with the end of her finger “hanging off” after being attacked by a dog.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall, ordered destruction of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier following last year’s attack.

The dog’s owner, Tanya Kaye, 35, of West Bank Close, Keighley, appeared at Bradford Crown Court after pleading guilty to the offence.

The court heard the incident unfolded in the Milner Road area of Baildon last March, when Carol Craig was walking her dog Ben, a Belgian Shepherd-Border Collie cross.

Prosecutor Paul Nicholson said Ben was attacked by the ‘Staffie type’ dog and as Ms Craig tried to protect her dog, her hand was bitten.

As she began shouting for help, Kaye appeared and took hold of the dog, asking where the muzzle had gone, before disappearing. She came back and said her dog, which she’d had for three weeks, did not usually behave in that way, kept apologising, gave Ms Craig her mobile number and said she would pay for any veterinary bills.

The court heard Kaye got her dog under control following the attack and immediately called for the RSPCA to collect it.

Ms Craig had to spend two days in Bradford Royal Infirmary for treatment to her injuries. Mr Nicholson said the end of her finger was “hanging off” and was told there was a chance she could lose the tip. Her dog also required veterinary treatment after the attack.

The court heard Ms Craig had described Kaye’s dog as “aggressive” and “furious”, looking as though it was “out to kill” her dog.

Danielle Graham, defending, said Kaye did have a muzzle and lead for her dog, had been able to get the animal under control and said it appears to have been an isolated incident.

She said Kaye had been left “devastated” by what happened.

Mr Nicholson said it is not currently known where the dog is and while it had been taken by the RSPCA, there was no further update.

Judge Durham Hall said he was “deeply troubled” that the dog appeared to be lost in the system and said it must be traced and destroyed due to the injury and psychological trauma it had caused in the attack.

Sentencing Kaye, who has previous convictions for other matters, he said she had bought the dog through the Gumtree website, not knowing anything about it.

However, he said she knew enough to muzzle it and keep it on a lead and that afternoon she had taken it for a walk and it had either got off or slipped its lead and the muzzle came off.

He said Ms Craig and her dog had been subjected to a “very, very frightening attack” and said her trauma cannot be understated.

He handed Kaye an eight-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, as well as rehabilitation requirements.