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Mum of three's finger bitten off by dog while delivering parcels

WARNING – GRAPHIC CONTENT: A delivery driver has told of her horror after her finger was bitten off by a dog while she was dropping off a parcel.

Mum of three Nicola was out delivering parcels with her 12-year-old daughter when she was savagely attacked in October last year.

As she put a parcel slip through a letterbox, a Staffordshire bull terrier on the other side of the door clamped its jaw around the tip of her finger as her daughter watched on in horror.

The force of the dog was so strong that Nicola's forehead smacked on to the front door.

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.

UK delivery driver Nicola had her finger bitten off by a dog while she was delivering parcels.
A woman has had her finger bitten off by a dog while she was delivering parcels.

Nicola was rushed to hospital, but doctors could not reattach her finger as police were unable to get inside the house to retrieve the severed digit.

Soon after, dog owner Tyrone Brophy, 24, was arrested.

He told police the dog had escaped through a garden fence following the attack and the pet has never been found.

Brophy appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week where he admitted being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control.

Prosecutors told the court Brophy's property did not have a sign warning of a dog or a cage covering the letterbox.

He was slapped with a community order and 120 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay £2,000 (AU$3696) compensation to Nicola at a rate of £100 (AU$185) a month.

Nearly one year on from the terrifying attack, Nicola says she has been left with life-long injuries, and suffers from depression and anxiety as a result of her ordeal.

She brandished the court sentence a “joke”.

Upon 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,” the judge said.

“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.”

– Australscope

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