A TINDER thug scarred girlfriend for life after setting a dog on her during an argument on her birthday.

Lucy Jackson-Stifanese, 31, fell for "charming" Ben Robertson after meeting on Tinder and moving into together weeks later.

4 Lucy Jackson-Stifanese was abused by her boyfriend Ben Robertson Credit: Facebook/Lucy Jackson-Stifanese

4 Lucy needed stitches and plastic surgery after she was abused Credit: Mirrorpix

4 These are the bruises Lucy was left with after she was abused Credit: Mirrorpix

4 Ben Roberston took his own life weeks before he court appearance in January Credit: Mirrorpix

Roberston reportedly hit Lucy for the first time three months into their relationship before it escalated to her needing 30 stitches and plastic surgery.

Lucy stayed with Roberston, until she used Clare's Law to find out if he had a record for domestic violence.

A police officer also warned her: "Leave now or you will die."

The PE teacher said Robertson's abusive behaviour started small when he would tell her to not wear make-up.

The emotional abuse then turned physical and after one argument neighbours called police when she was dragged out of bed naked and put on the balcony, she said.

On the swimming teacher's 31st birthday she said Roberston set a dog on her.

Lucy, a swimming teacher, told The Daily Star: “It was a Staffordshire bull terrier he’d brought home to look after. We argued as I wanted to go to see my family, and he ordered the dog: ‘Go for her!’

"I needed over 30 stitches to my face and arm, a blood transfusion and plastic surgery.”

Lucy, from Essex, still stayed with Roberston until she was told he had previously abused four other women and was jailed twice that she tried to leave him.

Lucy said: "The police officer said Ben had locked one woman inside a house and hit another repeatedly with a bottle. But I didn’t want to believe any of it.

“The police officer replied, ‘I’m promising you, Lucy. If you don’t leave him now, you’ll end up dead’.”

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Lucy pressed charges, with a court hearing set for January 8 – but in December Ben took his own life, aged 36.

She is now urging anyone who believes their partner is mistreating them to contact police.

She said: “If you have any doubt whatsoever about the person you’re with, get them checked out under Clare’s Law. It could save your life.”