Jail for football train rampage

The five men have been banned from football matches for 10 years

Five "mindless" football fans who rampaged through a train attacking rivals and other passengers have been jailed for up to four years each.

More than 30 Crystal Palace supporters targeted Charlton Athletic fans in south-east London in September 2007.

Parents tried to protect children during the "pre-planned riot" between Sydenham and Penge East stations.

Sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Stephen Robbins said: "You all give football a bad name."

A jury found Clive Taylor, 35, and Carl Thomas, 40, both from Thornton Heath, Darren Bush, 39, from Croydon, and Ashley White, 21, from Purley, guilty of violent disorder in October.

Andrew Spicer, 38, from Ashford, Kent, admitted violent disorder.

Taylor was sentenced to four years in prison, Thomas to three years and two months, Bush three years, White four years and Spicer two-and-a-half years.

All were made subject to 10-year football banning orders.

Bobby Kennett, 48, from Wandsworth, south London, admitted violent disorder at an earlier hearing but he died last month.

Passengers described the attack on the train as a "one-sided riot"

The court heard that a mob banged on train windows and threw bottles as the train arrived at Sydenham station on 1 September 2007.

A roar went up and they boarded the first two carriages, immediately attacking people. They chanted "kill them" and "get off our manor" as some passengers tried to escape.

Witnesses described the Saturday afternoon violence as a "one-sided riot", "pandemonium" and "absolute mayhem". One told police it was as if "all hell had broken loose".

One witness said he was struck repeatedly and that he saw a small child "being shielded by his father".

The attackers fled at Penge East station but police - who had responded to a series of 999 calls - detained some of those involved.

Further arrests followed the examination of CCTV footage of the attacks.

The club will be banning for life all and any of the offenders who masquerade as football supporters of Crystal Palace Football Club Crystal Palace FC spokesman

Judge Robbins described the incident as "mob conduct at its worst".

"This was sickening behaviour, thuggery, violence on a train, with members of the public who were visibly distressed," he said.

Earlier this year, nine other Crystal Palace supporters were jailed for up to 40 months each in relation to the incident, while a 16-year-old received a community sentence.

A Crystal Palace FC spokesman said: "In support of the police the club will be banning for life all and any of the offenders who masquerade as football supporters of Crystal Palace Football Club".

Charlton Athletic Football Club operations director Mick Everett said the attack was "an act of contemptible thuggery carried out by mindless idiots".