The owner of dogs, who mauled to death a six-year-old girl in a Bulgarian village, has been sentenced to one year on probation, triggering huge indignation across the country.

The district court of Razgrad mitigated the sentence of the defendant Elena Bankova, who had to spend one year in prison as initially ruled by the court in the Bulgarian town of Kubrat.

Bankova, a 50-year-old former teacher, will also have to pay BGN 30,000 in damages to the relatives of the killed child.

The sentence is final and can not be appealed.

Kristiyana Kirilova died after being attacked and bitten round the throat by four dogs in the center of the village of Sushevo, close to the town of Razgrad, in October last year.

The owner of the dogs, who were put to death shortly after the incident, has pleaded not guilty.

Bankova faced up to three years in prison if found guilty.

The tragedy followed a number of incidents with stray dogs around Bulgaria, including three different incidents in Bansko and Vratsa, in which sheep dogs were to blame for mauling up to five people including three children - injuring them all seriously.

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