A VIOLENT husband who ambushed his estranged wife and her sister and attacked them with a plank of wood was yesterday jailed for three years.

Mohammed Rafiq terrified his ex-partner, Inayat Begum, and her sister, Shafayat Begum, as they walked to shops in Middlesbrough early one morning.

Two days after the attack, Rafiq called both the women and threatened to kill them and have members of their families harmed, a court heard.

The 62-year-old told his ex-wife: "I know I'm going to end up in prison, but first I will break the legs of your brother-in-law."

He added: "I will kill all of you and I will get someone to kill your son in Pakistan. Don't think you are sitting in England safe and protected."

Rafiq was arrested after he attacked the women with the plank of wood in Middlesbrough Road, on February 26.

But he was freed on bail after falsely claiming he had been acting in self-defence, and two days later made the menacing telephone calls. He told his former sister-in-law: "The police have released me. The police have done nothing. Now when you face me I will break your husband's legs and I will kill you."

Rafiq, of Egerton Street, Middlesbrough, admitted two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and two counts of witness intimidation.

Teesside Crown Court heard how he had previous convictions for assault in 1975 and 1995, and was jailed for six years in 1997 for kidnap and two assaults.

Judge George Moorhouse was also told that Rafiq had recently admitted a further two assaults on his estranged wife and was awaiting sentence by magistrates.

Imposing an extended sentence, the judge told him: "I am satisfied that it is my duty to protect members of the public because there is a real risk, in my view, of serious harm to others."

He added: "Both women were extremely frightened and it is not the first time you have attacked your wife. It is clear you are a person who poses a high risk of harm to your wife and future partners."

Richard Bennett, mitigating, said Rafiq had been out of trouble since his release from prison in 2000, and was sorry for what he had done to his wife of five years.

"He is too old to be appearing in front of the crown court and to be serving prison sentences," said Mr Bennett. "It is likely that at the age of 62 any jail term would have a greater affect than it would on someone younger."