A BRUTE who forced one woman into a river where she was in serious danger of being swept away and burnt another with an iron has been given an extended jail sentence.

Dale Tray was described by the Crown as a “jealous individual with an explosive temper” and “manipulative and possessive”.

The 31-year-old admitted a series of violent episodes last year which terrified his victims and their children, who were frequently present.

Prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, Richard Bennett outlined how Tray became enraged when the first victim missed a series of mobile phone calls from him and he demanded to know who she had been speaking to, accusing her of being unfaithful.

Tray pumped soap into her mouth using a soap dispenser and also forced and her and children into his car, frequently banging her head off the door as he drove erratically.

He also dragged the woman around by her hair, leading to significant hair loss and forced her into the River Wear thigh deep, ordering her to swim as he held her crying three-year-old child.

In another incident Tray, of Wellgarth, Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, picked up the woman by the throat at her home and tried to strangle her.

He then locked her and her children in, leading them to escape in the middle of the night in their bedclothes through a window.

In September Tray met another woman via Facebook. They got on well initially, but the defendant began to suspect she was in another relationship and accused her of lying.

Mr Bennett described how Tray forced his way into the woman’s home and picked up a hot iron, burning her arm with it and punching her in the stomach and back.

He also threw a vacuum cleaner at a window and again made the victim and her children get into his car.

Tray said he would “hang the woman off a bridge” and threatened to firebomb her and her sister’s house should she complain to police.

Eventually both victims did pluck up the courage to alert police. Officers, who were commended for their work in the investigation by Judge Tony Briggs, spoke to some of the child witnesses who corroborated accounts given by their mothers.

In a statement the first victim said she had been Tray’s “personal punch bag and door mat” and felt miserable and trapped while she was with him.

The second woman said she suffered panic attacks and night terrors and was now less trusting of others.

Rod Hunt, mitigating, said Tray, who had been returned to jail after breaching a suspended jail sentence was determined to be a model prisoner.

He described him as a Jekyll and Hyde character who had a problem with jealousy.

Trey, who has 65 previous convictions, including 19 for violence, admitted a number of assault charges and two of false imprisonment. He was also made subject to restraining orders in respect of the women.

Judge Briggs told him: “When in a relationship you become obsessively jealous and controlling and treat women in a violent, terrifying and dangerous way.”

Tray was jailed for a total of six years and will serve an extended three year licence period on his release.

Detective Sergeant Tonya Cook, from Durham Police, said: “I have a huge admiration for our victims and witnesses who have shown real strength to report these incidents to police.

“Durham Constabulary are committed to all victims of domestic violence and we work with our partners to support victims to take a stand against those who exploit and manipulate others.

“Nobody should have to endure what these victims have.”