A 76-year-old woman was savaged by a neighbour’s dog when she went round to pay him for some cat litter must be paid £500 in compensation, a judge has ruled.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard how the victim, Jacqueline McGrew, suffered horrendous cuts and bruises to her head and face during the frenzied attack by the bull terrier type dog.

She spent two weeks in hospital and in a victim personal statement said the incident had affected her mentally and physically.

She said she had always loved animals but was now terrified whenever she saw a dog.

“I am trying to live my life as normally as I can, I will not let this beat me,” she said.

“I will not spend the final years of my life living as a hermit because of what happened.”

Her neighbour David Wilson, 57, of Devon Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control.

He was made subject to a 12-month community order with 200 hours unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mrs McGrew.

Lancashire Telegraph: The injuries suffered by Jacqueline McGrewThe injuries suffered by Jacqueline McGrew

Passing sentence, District Judge Alexandra Preston said it had been a “dreadful incident.”

“This could have been avoided if you had taken simple measures to control the dog,” she said.

“The sentence will never reflect the life-long psychological anguish caused to the victim and the physical harm caused to her.”

District Judge Preston said the compensation represented the defendant’s ability to pay rather than proper compensation for the injuries caused.

Graeme Tindall, prosecuting, said the victim lived next door to the defendant.

She was aware of the dogs kept in his garden and looked over the gate to check they weren’t there before entering.

“She was immediately attacked by the bull terrier type dog,” said Mr Tindall.

“The defendant and his wife came quickly to assess the victim. The dog was sprayed with water and the defendant actually put his hands in the dog’s mouth.

"By the time he got the dog off, serious injury had been caused."

Mr Tindall said it was accepted the dog belonged to the defendant’s son who was not at the house on the day.

"Initially, Wilson, his partner and their son had been charged but at an early stage Wilson accepted full responsibility," he added.

Alexandra Carrier, mitigating, said there had been no incidents involving the other two dogs either before or since the attack in June 2022.

“He has demonstrated he is able to look after dogs,” said Miss Carrier.

“It is my client’s hope that when this case is finalised he can begin to rebuild the good relationship that existed between him and the victim prior to this incident.”

Mrs McGrew required surgery to her head, suffered a broken nose and the sight in her right eye was affected for a week.

In a statement after the last hearing, she added: "I am absolutely terrified of any dog now.

"If I am on my mobility scooter and I see a dog, even across the road I freeze, I panic and I don't know what to do.

"I'm terrified that the dog might do something."

The dog, Kia, is understood to have been destroyed.