EXCLUSIVE: Artist Michelle Miller lost her finger to a dog attack. Three years after being convicted, the dog owner has paid zero compensation and a Government scheme for victims of violence refuses to cough up either
A North London woman who lost her finger to a dog attack has not received a penny from the owner, or a Government compensation scheme for victims of violent crime. Michelle Miller, 50, was bitten by her neighbour’s ‘French Bulldog Cross’ on a landing of their flats in Finchley Road in July 2021. Around a week later, surgeons cut off her left-hand index finger as it was badly infected.
Though Ryan Tanner, 41, was convicted at Willesden Magistrates’ Court in November 2022 and ordered to pay £1,500 in compensation at a rate of £40-a-month, three years later no money has entered Michelle’s account. Meanwhile, a recent photo shows Tanner holidaying in Dubai, and this week MyLondon confirmed he works in logistics for a multi-million pound car dealership.
In a letter Michelle received from HMCTS this August, which insisted the court is pursuing Tanner for the cash, an official wrote: “I understand that this must be very frustrating for you, but I can assure you we will continue to enforce the account until the matter is dealt with.”
Dog attacks in London have been increasing dramatically in the last seven years, rising from 1,532 in 2018 to a peak of 3,394 in 2023, and back down to 2,747 in 2024. The increase has been blamed on a breeding boom during the pandemic, as well as a vicious cycle of rogue breeders selling powerful animals to irresponsible owners.
Have you been the victim of a dog attack but had a CICA claim rejected? Get in touch with Callum at [email protected] or +447580255582
Dogs must be ‘set upon’ the victim
Witness statements seen by MyLondon show how Tanner’s dog Bailey bounded up to Michelle and bit into her foot, prompting her to scream ‘ouch’ and reach down to her shoe. At this point, the dog clamped onto her finger, biting down even harder as she began to shout for help. According to her statement, Tanner only removed his dog after Michelle screamed ‘Get your dog off me’.
Michelle was taken to hospital in an ambulance, where doctors cleaned the wound and sent her home on antibiotics. When she went for a check-up three days later, she claims a doctor ‘casually’ advised going on a drip. Michelle, who was still on antibiotics, says she went home believing it was not necessary. A few days later, doctors insisted she go on the drip, by which time the finger was septic.
Three operations and an amputation later, Michelle, an artist who normally works with school children, is now so ashamed she hides her hand in a black glove, only taking it off when she is home alone. Michelle explained the injury has had a life-changing emotional and physical impact as she spoke through tears at her North London flat.
“Coping has been really painful. I still have phantom finger and sharp pains,” she said, “This has messed me up beyond belief. I work with young people and they instantly ask me about my hand. It hurts for me to be disfigured. If I was born like this, it would be okay. But I was not.”
Michelle said she would feel better with a privately-funded prosthetic, but cannot afford it because her claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) was rejected. A quirk in the 2012 CICA Scheme means dogs must be ‘set upon’ the victim, even if the owner has already been held responsible in a criminal court.
MyLondon read the justification given by CICA when rejecting Michelle’s attempt to get compensation. A Government official wrote the attack was ‘not a crime of violence… for the purposes of the Act… unless the animal was set upon the person’. This means dog attack claimants must prove there was criminal intent, and that the attack was not merely an accident.
CICA also rejected her claim because it took Michelle six days to report it to police. The scheme requires reports are made ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’. Michelle said the delay was due to the shock and trauma of the attack.
Fearing she would be attacked again, Michelle asked for a priority transfer to a different property but this was rejected by her housing association. No-win no-fee lawyers also told Michelle there was no point suing Tanner for damages as he did not have pet insurance.
Beaten back by everyone, Michelle has lost hope in the justice system. “No-one has taken this seriously,” she said, “It makes me feel like it’s trivial.”
‘We are very sorry’
After listening to Michelle’s story, our reporter left a letter at Ryan Tanner’s flat, asking him why he had failed to pay while jetting off to Dubai. We also attended the car dealership where Tanner works to confirm he is still in employment. We also tried contacting his mobile, but he did not respond.
We asked the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) if Tanner had been pursued for the unpaid compensation, but the department did not answer this question. Instead the MoJ provided information about how warrants can be issued instructing bailiffs to seize and sell goods belonging to the offender. The MoJ did not suggest Tanner was being pursued in this way, or give any explanation as to why.
An MoJ spokeswoman said: “We are very sorry to hear about this distressing case and recognise the serious impact dog attacks can have on victims.
“The taxpayer-funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is designed as a last resort for compensation when someone is a victim of a violent crime. However, victims of dog attacks may be able to instead seek redress through the civil courts against the owner.”
Ryan Tanner was approached for comment.
Want to contact Callum about this story? Please email [email protected] or Signal +447580255582
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