A GREAT Dane which faced being destroyed after biting off a courier's nose is to be spared, after her owner was cleared of allowing her to be dangerously out of control in public.

Jess, a four-year-old black and white bitch, will be allowed home to Carol Crawford even though the 15-stone dog jumped up and attacked Stephen McQuiggin, 54, as he delivered a package to Mrs Crawford's bungalow, in Flodden Close, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, last September 7.

Mrs Crawford, 47, broke down in tears in the dock at Durham Crown Court yesterday, after a jury of four men and eight women took just 45 minutes to find her not guilty.

Jess caused Mr McQuiggin 'horrendous' injuries, the court heard, leaving the self-employed driver needing four operations to reconstruct his nose.

He had heard Jess and another Great Dane, Brutus, shouting but Mrs Crawford had told him: "Don't be silly, they just want to say hello."

Moments later, he was reeling back in 'excruciating pain', the court heard.

However, Mrs Crawford's lawyers claimed the incident happened on private property, not in a public place.

Although Mr McQuiggin is suing Mrs Crawford and her husband, Mark, and the Great Dane Adoption Society, where the Crawfords got Jess as a puppy in 2007, Jess will be allowed home, the court heard.

Afterwards, Mrs Crawford's solicitor, Ian Wilson said she had never denied injury was caused and she was very sorry for that injury.

However, he added: "The dispute was whether or not the dog was on her property. Obviously, it was.

"In coming to that decision, the jury has concluded that what Carol has been saying all along has been the truth."

Mrs Crawford was very emotional but delighted Jess would be reunited with Brutus, Mr Wilson said.

"The dogs were taken away in quite traumatic circumstances. Carol loves the dogs and wanted them back where they belong," he added.

Earlier, the court heard the injury may have been caused by a claw scratch, not a bite. However, plastic surgeon Michael Kernaghan said the attack removed three to four millimetres of nasal tissue and, in his view, had been a bite.