An 18-year-old described as playing a leading part in last year's football riots has been jailed for two-and- a-half years.

Sean McElroy, from Sydenham Road, Croydon, was one of two men sentenced at Croydon Crown Court last Wednesday.

McElroy and Dean Mills, 22, of Alverston Gardens, South Norwood, had pleaded guilty to violent disorder after England's quarter-final defeat to Portugal on June 24 last year.

Judge Cedric Joseph sentenced McElroy and Mills to 30 and 18 months respectively.

The men also received a six-year football banning order which will prevent them watching matches in any pub or bar.

During sentencing Judge Joseph said McElroy had played a large part in the night's violence hurling objects at businesses in Croydon's South End.

He said: "I have had to watch a compilation video which shows you clearly played a very considerable and leading part."

He added: "Objects were thrown at a building that suffered £150,000 worth of damage.

"I'm not suggesting that was all due to you, but by your actions you were encouraging others to attack that and other buildings."

Mills, who had been seen on CCTV throwing a traffic bollard, had been released on licence in July 2003 for a previous conviction for robbery.

He was ordered to serve 300 days from the remaining 381 days from that sentence.