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A dog has been destroyed and its owners ordered to pay compensation after a woman suffered horrific injuries while walking her own five-month-old puppy.

The victim was with her pet in a park off Green Lane, in Thornton Heath , when she was attacked on February 14 this year.

The young pup ran over towards another dog owned by two men.

The dog was a pit bull – a banned dangerous breed of dog that have been known to turn on even their owners, even after years of care.

The pit bull, owned by Emmanuel and Kevin Anton-Sathiyadhasan, a dad and son aged 58 and 21 respectively, went berserk and attacked the little puppy, biting and latching on to its muzzle.

Horrified, the woman went over to try and assist, and tried to pull the dog off her puppy.

Sticking her fingers near the animal's mouth the result was a ghastly wound as the pit bull suddenly released the pup but then latched onto the woman’s hand and locked on.

She said later to a police officer that she realised the natural reaction she had to being bitten – screaming aloud – seemed to make the dog respond more aggressively.

She bravely managed to suppress her screams and slowly the pit bull lost interest and let go of her hand and released her.

Emmanuel and Kevin Anton-Sathiyadhasan were both prosecuted and convicted under the Dangerous Dogs Act and they have both just been sentenced.

The men both got eight-month prison sentences suspended for the next nine months, and they had to pay £1,800 compensation and a victim surcharge of £140.

A court also ordered the pit bull, who was named Roxy, to be destroyed.

The victim required 12 stitches and had a broken finger, and she has ongoing issues with the mobility and use of her hand.