Football louts are sent to jail

Violence erupted in the centre of Bradford in July

Six football fans have been jailed after violence broke out on a Bradford street in the summer of 2003.

Punches and kicks were thrown while tables and chairs were hurled in the rumpus on Ivegate during City's centenary football tournament in July.

The men, from Leeds, Bradford, Grimsby and Aberdeen, were jailed for between three and five months at Bradford Magistrates' Court on Monday.

The men all pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder.

Guilty pleas

All the defendants were issued with orders banning them from attending football matches for six years.

The jailed men are: Mark Bower, 34, of Lidget Green, Lidget Place, Bradford; Scott Garden, 33, of Colonsay Crescent, Sheddocksley, Aberdeen; Kenneth Massie, 31, of Hyefield Lodge, Hatton, Peterhead.

Steven Wood, 24, of Craignook Road, Dyce, Aberdeen and Brian Wright, 32, of Carnforth Crescent, Grimsby.

Steven Elam, 31, of Waterside Court, Rodley, Leeds also pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

But he also admitted assaulting and resisting a police officer in a separate incident.

John Cameron, 29, of Elm Bank Road, Aberdeen, was due to be sentenced for violent disorder, but he failed to attend the hearing and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Graham, Massie, Wood and Wright were all jailed for three months.

Bower and Elam were given four and five months respectively.

District judge David Thomas told the men: "Bradford has suffered its share of violence in the past few years.

"Whilst this incident clearly was not on the scale of those matters which took place two years ago or so, nonetheless it was a serious incident of public disorder.

"The message must go out to people who choose to involve themselves in incidents of public disorder and vandalism of this sort - if they commit it inevitably custody will follow".

In November eight Bradford men were jailed for their part in the clash.