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Thursday, 13 March 2008, 18:39 GMT

Train riot football thugs jailed

Football hooligans who attacked rival fans on a train packed with passengers have been jailed.

Crystal Palace supporters punched, kicked and head-butted Charlton Athletic fans at Sydenham railway station in south London in September.

Parents, children and pensioners tried to escape the carefully co-ordinated "pincer movement", Southwark Crown Court heard.

The men, mostly from south London, were jailed for up to 40 months each.

They all pleaded guilty to violent disorder and also had football banning orders imposed on them.

'Sickening behaviour'

"This was sickening behaviour, thuggery, organised violence on a train on members of the public," said Judge Stephen Robbins.

"You give football a bad name, especially your team, Crystal Palace, by the disgusting behaviour displayed on this occasion," he said.

"One witness said the group was going mad waiting for the doors to open"
Alan Kent, prosecuting

"One witness said the group was going mad waiting for the doors to open," said Alan Kent, prosecuting.

"As they did, a roar went up and they boarded the train in a pincer movement."

Among those cornered was a father and his two grown-up children who were repeatedly punched.

One of his sons was left with blood pouring down his face and was later taken to hospital with a suspected fractured nose.

In the dock were "principal aggressors" Dominic Goodridge, 32, from Caterham, Surrey (40 months) and student John de Bono, 21, from St Mary Cray, Kent, (30 months).

The others were: