BRADFORD’S notorious Ointment gang of football hooligans has been branded “a rag-bag of thugs” by a judge who has now sentenced five former members to a total of almost 17 years imprisonment.

Recorder Duncan Smith said the group’s objective was to “mete out violence unlawfully and indiscriminately” under the pretence of supporting Bradford City Football Club.

He told Bradford Crown Court “the Ointment was on tour” when a group of its members and their friends attacked two Halifax Town supporters in The Old Cock pub in Halifax on September 13, 2014.

The victims, Andrew Wilson and Charlie Harris, were themselves members of “a rival risk group” and subject to Football Banning Orders.

Mr Wilson suffered serious facial injuries when glasses and bottles were thrown in the violence that terrified the barman and caused extensive damage.

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The defendants were celebrating the birth of a baby and had begun drinking in Bradford before moving on to Halifax.

Recorder Smith jailed Ben Leach, 26, of Timble Drive, Eldwick, near Bingley, for three years and four months in November last year, for unlawful wounding and violent disorder.

He also locked up Ricky Whiteley, 26, of Southmere Crescent, Great Horton, Bradford, for three years for violent disorder.

Yesterday Recorder Smith jailed three more for their roles in the violence.

Daniel Wright, 32, of Cutter Place, Laisterdyke, Bradford, and Anthony Ali, 32, of Church Street, Wibsey, Bradford, who were convicted by a jury of violent disorder, were each jailed for three and a half years.

Callum Ellis, 25, of Britannia Wharf, Bingley, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was locked up for two and a half years.

Three co-accused, who all pleaded guilty to violent disorder, were spared immediate jail sentences.

Kayle Imeson, 28, of Shetcliffe Lane, Bierley, Bradford, and James Allen, 22, of Ashbourne Avenue, Swain House, Bradford, were each sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Derrick White, 34, of Rowantree Drive, Thorpe Edge, Bradford, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Recorder Smith told Leach and Whiteley, who were jailed at Leeds Crown Court, and the three men imprisoned yesterday at Bradford Crown Court: “This case is not specifically concerned with football-related violence, however it is only one step removed.”

He said the Ointment was regarded by the police as a risk group.

“Membership of these sub-cultures might be regarded by the misguided as a badge of honour.

“But groups such as the Ointment are no band of brothers. They are a rag-bag of thugs, and I have to tell you that I regard membership of, or association with that group, to be a significant aggravating feature of offences committed in pursuit of its objectives.”

The trouble started when Charlie Harris verbally provoked Whiteley into punching him.

“All it took was one blow from Whiteley before the eight defendants mobilised themeselves into a ramshackle but overpowering rump of thugs, vastly outnumbering the opposition and caring nothing for the safety of the innocent users of those premises,” the judge said.

Lawyers for the six sentenced yesterday said all were hard-working family men who had stayed out of trouble in the 21 months since.

Ellis, who threw punches at Mr Harris, had previous convictions for football-related offending.

White, an Army veteran and factory shift manager, threw one punch. Imeson, sole carer for his injured mother, delivered a single kick at Mr Harris’s head.

Allen, a gifted student, threw a bottle or glass but played no part in the rest of the violence.

Wright, who had a football-related criminal record, repeatedly punched Mr Harris. Ali, who also had football-related convictions, punched Mr Harris in the head once.

The judge found that Imeson, Allen and White never belonged to the Ointment group.