A dangerously out of control dog has been spared after breaking a woman’s thumb.

Peter Leslie Cuff, 57, of Beechwood Road, Hemsby, was charged with being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control after a Canary Island mastiff named Bruno, which he had been fostering, attacked the woman outside Co-Op in the village.

Cuff appeared at Great Yarmouth Magistrates’ Court yesterday, where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

Stacie Cossey, prosecuting, said: “The dog was tied to a mobility scooter outside the store. There wasn’t much space to get past it and the dog bit the victim’s thumb as she walked past.

“She had to attend hospital the next day after a sleepless night due to the pain. Cuff told police the dog bit her because she stroked it.”

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the victim said she had to repeatedly attend A&E to have the bandages on her thumb changed and continued to have problems more than a month after the incident, which occurred on December 1.

The woman, who lives alone, also said the injury prevented her doing everyday tasks, including dressing and caring for her 12-week-old puppy. The dog had been wearing a muzzle at the time, but it didn’t stop the attack.

James Parry, defending, said: “Cuff accepts he should not have left the dog tied up outside the shop. It could be stolen or something like this could happen. He is very, sorry and this is not something he will let happen again.”

Cuff was ordered to pay £200 compensation to the victim, but was handed a conditional discharge for 12 months. A contingent destruction order was made – Cuff must ensure Bruno always wears a caged muzzle and a lead at all times in public. Bruno must also be supervised at all times by someone over the age of 18, and have a third-party insurance policy in place.