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Glenda Dean, 73, will be allowed to keep her Staffordshire Bull Terrier following the attack last July.

A pensioner whose dog sank its teeth into a postman has dodged jail and been allowed to keep her pet at home after police and animal welfare experts concluded it was not a risk to the public. Glenda Dean, 73, was facing up to a year in prison after her Staffordshire Bull Terrier bit Scott Talbot's right arm as he was delivering a parcel.

Mr Talbot suffered a one-and-a-half to two-inch gash to his right arm and scratches to his right thumb and left arm and had to take 13 weeks off work before returning to office bound work. Three months after the incident he was still suffering with a loss of strength in his arm, hand and wrist and was scared to encounter dogs in public.

The mum-of-three told Mr Talbot to "stand still," adding: "It's just a scratch, the dog does not bite," as the postie called 999 and used the parcel to protect himself from further attack, the court heard, reports Manchester Evening News.

Despite the severity of the postman's injuries, police declined to impound Roy whilst an expert report said the animal was a ''sociable, well trained dog which demonstrated no aggression in handling and testing'.' At Crewe Magistrates' Court, Dean admitted being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury and was given an 18 week prison sentence, suspended for two years. JPs declined to have the dog put to sleep.

The incident occurred at 2.30pm on July 29 when Mr Talbot was doing his rounds in the Holmes Chapel area. Mr Krisjan Cooper, prosecuting, said: “He was delivering a parcel to the defendant's address and rattled the gate but when he received no answer, he entered and started walking towards the front door.

“At that point a dark brown Staffordshire bull terrier came out of the address and bit him on the right arm and caused a gash which pulled the skin down to the fat tissue. Ambulance staff were called and he was taken to Leighton Hospital where he was discharged with antibiotics after having his wound cleaned and sealed with adhesive strips and a dressing.

“The defendant later attended a voluntary interview but provided ‘no comment’ with regards to questions asked about the control of the dog. There did not appear to be any safety or control measures in place and there was no indication she intervened at the time of the incident."

In a statement to police taken in November 2025 Mr Talbot said: ''The words: 'It’s just a scratch, it does not bite,' continue to haunt me and knowing the dog is still alive is deeply distressing and adds to my anxiety. There is a visible scar on the inside of my right arm and I have lost significant strength in the arm, hand and wrist.

"To address this I have had six private therapy sessions. I will soon begin a further eight therapy sessions through the NHS.

"I continue to feel extremely vulnerable. There have been days when I have been unable to leave the house. I am trying to walk as much as I can. If I encounter a dog that is unfriendly, I freeze and cannot move.

"I have recurrent nightmares. 'There is a walking path I used to walk regularly with my girlfriend and son. I am unable to set foot on it.

"I have been off work. I am ready to return to but only in an office role. I am not ready to resume deliveries and that is making me feel guilty knowing my colleagues are overburdened. If I am unable to overcome the fear I would have to consider a change in job."

Mr Talbot said: "My daughter was born just two days after the attack and for several weeks I was unable to help. My son recently turned four. Helping with him has been difficult. My girlfriend has had to manage the newborn and the toddler on her own. The impact on my family has been significant. I still do not have strength in my arm, wrist or hand.

“There is still numbness and frequent shooting pains up my arm. Psychologically I am not sure how healing even begins. I have felt incredibly low with no clear the path forward.”

In mitigation for Dean, defence counsel Miss Mia Monahan said: "This was a single isolated incident that occurred in the front garden involving a dog with no previous history of aggression or complaints. He may have been startled by Mr Talbot’s presence. and there was a lapse of control in a domestic situation which Miss Dean deeply regrets.

''Whilst this a very unfortunate incident but this is not a case where Roy is a danger to public safety with appropriate conditions in place. Miss Dean has found it difficult to accept that Roy was responsible for the injury caused to Mr Talbot and has experienced feelings of shock and disbelief.

''But although some of these comments could be interpreted as a victim blaming, dogs are more than just a pet, they are loved family members and it is hard for anyone to accept or comprehend, Roy could cause harm to another, especially when they did not see it or it is out of character for it to do so.

''The victim personal statement was taken 13 weeks after the incident. We are now almost 10 months on and it would have been good to have known how Mr Talbot was doing at this present time - in particular whether he has continued with delivering and whether he was still experiencing pain in his arm.

''However, Miss Dean has now acknowledged the seriousness of what occurred and has taken practical steps - putting up a metal fence 70 inches in height and displaying a sign outside her property to inform visitors of Roy’s presence.

''She has also positioned an alternative drop off point for deliveries outside of her gate. These measures show she has taken responsibility to make sure that this incident will never occur again in future."

Miss Monaghan added: “Miss Dean has lived an entirely law abiding life and is the primary care for her daughter. “She is a loving and responsible dog owner and her dog acts as a support dog for her daughter.

“She has a history of owning dogs all her life of varying breeds, she loves her dog deeply and Roy provides emotional support and is a crutch for her daughter. A canine behavioural expert carried out an assessment which included walking with the dog, being in the dog’s home and handling and tolerance tests.

“The conclusion is that Roy is assessed as a sociable and well trained dog, well socialised, demonstrate no aggression in handling and testing.

“He walks calmly in public and the incident has been described as being out of character.

"He was not considered a risk to the public by police when they attended, otherwise they would have seized him. The risk of him biting again is low."

Dean was also made to pay £239 in costs and surcharge. The magistrates made no order for compensation saying it was “not appropriate at this point”.

JP Lynne Towers told Dean she must put a lock on her gate and said Roy should be walked in a lead in future. She added: "This was a very serious incident regarding a postman who attended your property to do his job and was not expecting to be injured in any shape or form.

“This dog has shown in exceptional circumstances it may actually react in a way that you do not want it to. Although we have agreed not to have the dog put down, you are responsible to make sure that it is kept under control.''