NEW SENTENCING guidelines for dangerous dog offences will only begin to bite when the guilty are jailed and their dogs destroyed, says a Bradford man who lost an arm due to an attack by an American bulldog.

Delivery man Chris Hirst is still waiting to have a prosthetic limb fitted nearly three years after the massive dog savaged him so badly his right arm had to be removed.

Laws were toughened up two years ago, with the maximum sentence for an offence where someone is killed increased from two to 14 years and for where someone is injured from two to five years.

The new guidelines issued today by the Sentencing Council aim to ensure a consistent approach and pay particular attention to attacks on guide dogs, attacks on private property and issues of victim compensation and banning people from dog ownership.

Targeted attacks on guide dogs have been highlighted as a particular concern.

The Telegraph & Argus has been running a Curb the Danger Dogs campaign for many years, initially calling for the Dangerous Dogs Act to be updated.

Mr Hirst, 65, was attacked in April 2016 and said he was yet to be convinced the law was being enacted.

"I'll believe it when these sentences actually materialise, but they never do.

"It's all talk until it comes to fruition. I'll wait and see.

"Dogs that attack should be put down immediately - the dog that attacked me died of natural causes and if it had got hold of a child, that child would have been dead in seconds."

Mr Hirst is awaiting an operation on his left shoulder to strengthen it before he can be fitted with a suitable prosthetic limb.

James White, Senior Campaigns Manager at the charity Guide Dogs said: "Sadly, every year we hear of more than 100 guide dogs being attacked by other dogs. Attacks on guide dogs are extremely distressing for their owners.

"Not only is the attack itself traumatic, but if the dog has to stop working, then their owner may find it impossible to leave home on their own. We welcome the publication of today’s dangerous dog sentencing guidelines."

District Judge Richard Williams, a member of the Sentencing Council said: "The majority of dog owners are responsible and ensure their pets do not put anyone in danger, but there are some irresponsible owners whose dogs do put people at risk of injury and in some cases even death.

"The new guidelines will help ensure a consistent and proportionate approach following significant changes to the law. They allow for a broad range of sentences to be given and encourage courts where appropriate to use their other powers to ban people from keeping dogs or to order them to pay compensation to victims."

Malcolm Richardson, National Chairman of the Magistrates Association said: "The impact on the victim of this kind of offence can be severe. The sheer range of seriousness in dangerous dog cases is very considerable, so we are therefore glad that the Sentencing Guidelines now reflect that.

"Because no two cases are the same, magistrates appreciate having as flexible a range of guidelines at their disposal as possible. It helps them to do their job of steering justice fairly."