A man serving a lengthy jail sentence for violent burglary has had his prison term extended by a further 12 months for offences of domestic violence.

Dale Edward Watson received the sentence, including a ten-year custodial element and four-years’ licence extension, at Newcastle Crown Court, in August.

He had been found guilty of aggravated burglary of a residential property in Trimdon Station, County Durham, following a trial at the court in June.

The 30-year-old defendant, of Sunnyside Avenue, Shildon, was said to have been wearing a balaclava when he entered the property uninvited and used a claw hammer to strike a householder, causing head and facial injuries, demanding money.

The Northern Echo: Dale Edward Watson given an extra 12-month prison sentence at Durham Crown Court, to follow

He caused deliberate damage to items of property in the house before taking £50 from a cup and £225-worth of jewellery.

Read more: Shildon man jailed for 14 years for aggravated burglary in Trimdon

Little more than two months into the sentence, Watson appeared before Durham Crown Court, in an unconnected case, in which he admitted charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation and acting in breach of a restraining order.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said the offences were committed on September 17, last year, when Watson was at the home of a former partner, in breach of a ten-year restraining order issued at the court in June 2020.

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He accused her of infidelity at a time when they had been in a relationship in 2020, pushed her down on her bed and strangled her to the point she was struggling to breathe, almost passing out.

She managed to push him off, but he continued to make accusations and pushed her onto the bed, again, placing a blanket over her head and began to punch her.

Mr Baker said one of the blows caught her on the nose which began to pour with blood.

Watson delivered another three to four punches before giving the badly bloodied woman his jacket to try to stem the flow.

He continued to be abusive and threatened to smash up the woman’s home.

Mr Baker said the victim told police that the only reason she had allowed Watson in was to “keep the peace”, fearing that he might “kick off”.

In a short victim impact statement, she said she was left in a lot of pain and continued to fear him coming back to the house and, again, “kicking off”.

She also said she did not ever want to be in a relationship in future.

Mr Baker said the woman’s injuries included a swelling to her nose, bruising across her front and back, to her right shoulder and neck.

Watson was arrested, and in interview made no comment.

Outlining the defendant’s criminal history, Mr Baker said Watson has offences of violence, including robbery, battery and affray on his record, plus past breaches of court orders, prior to the aggravated burglary conviction of this year.

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Victoria Lamballe, for Watson, said he indicated guilty pleas to the latest charges at an early stage, and the extended sentence he is now serving will see him behind bars for a lengthy period.

Judge James Adkin said he would have imposed a 20-month sentence, but, given the ten-year term he is now serving, he would reduce it to 12 months.

But he made it consecutive to the ten-year sentence he is already serving.