A dangerous dog owner has been spared jail after his Staffordshire Bull Terrier ripped a delivery worker's finger in half as she tried to post a parcel slip through his letterbox.
Tyrone Brophy, 24, had been out at work when Hermes driver, Nicola Cringle, attempted to deliver a parcel to his home on Shafestbury Road in Swinton.
As she put the parcel slip through the letter box, the dog on the other side of the door clamped its jaw around the tip of her finger, as her 12-year-old daughter watched on in horror.
The force of the dog was so strong, that Nicola's forehead smacked on to the front door, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Her horrifying ordeal lasted just shy of five minutes, before a neighbour heard her screams for help and together, they managed to pull her hand free.
To Nicola's horror, she realised the dog had bitten off half her finger and tendon, leaving her in agonising pain.
The dog, which Brophy claimed had 'escaped' through a garden fence following the attack, has never been found.
Nearly one year on from the terrifying attack, the mum-of-three from Bury says she has been left with life-long injuries and suffers from depression and anxiety as a result of her ordeal.
WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC PICTURES OF NICOLA'S INJURY
Nicola claims her daughter is now suffering from post-traumatic stress after witnessing the attack in October last year.
She brandished the court sentence a 'joke' as Brophy was slapped with a community order and 120 hours of unpaid work, after admitting being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control.
He was also ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to Miss Cringle at a rate of £100 a month.
"It is just a joke, it's not exactly a deterrent is it?" Nicola said, speaking to the Manchester Evening News.
"I have been diagnosed with arthritis in my hand and I am still awaiting further surgery."
She added: "My 12-year-old daughter is still having nightmares and is absolutely terrified of me going near dogs or going back to work."
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Following the attack, Nicola was taken to hospital, but doctors could not reattach her finger as police were unable to get inside the house to retrieve the severed digit.
Greater Manchester Police said they did not have the powers under the Dangerous Dogs Act to force entry without a court order.
Prosecutor Simone Flynn, told the court that Brophy's property did not have a sign warning of a dog, or a cage covering the letter box.
She told the court: "The defendant said the dog had never shown aggression before, and conceeded that there was no warning or cage on the letter box."
"Miss Cringle said she had visited the property on a number of occasions and had not been aware that a dog lived there."
A dog bit off my finger through a letter box - but police couldn't help me get it back
Brophy's defence lawyer, Michael Balmer, described the attack an 'unforeseeable offence.'
He told the court: "Genuine remorse has been evidenced by this defendant.
“Mr Brophy is a man of good character and he is in employment as an engineer and is studying to progress further in his career.
“He comes across as a genuine, hard working and likeable man who has found himself in a very difficult position.”
Sentencing Brophy, Judge David Hernandez said: "The consequences of this incident have been quite severe.
“The photographs I am currently looking at show a truly horrific injury.
“To have suffered an injury of this nature will lead to permanent pain and affect her employment prospects and her ability to care for her children.”
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