A teenager who hurled stones at police lines during the Bradford riots claimed he was encouraged to get involved by other people.

The youngster, who was only 16 at the time of the violent clashes last July, was involved in the disturbances for about three or four hours as police in riot gear faced a hail of missiles in the White Abbey Road area of the city.

Bradford Youth Court heard yesterday that the youth, now aged 17, had no previous convictions or cautions and had achieved nine GCSEs.

Prosecutor Richard Sagar said the youngster, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, handed himself in to police on the same day that his photograph was published in the Telegraph & Argus last September.

His solicitor Fraser Tordoff said when the teenager's elder brother went with him to a later police interview he was shown the video evidence against him.

"The brother, like you no doubt, was horrified by what he saw on the video and basically he said to me that if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes he would not have believed it,'' Mr Tordoff told the magistrates.

"That refers to the violence in general on the night and secondly his brother's involvement.''

Mr Tordoff conceded that the boy, who comes from the Girlington area, now realised it was a "monumental act of stupidity'' but he added that the teenager had referred to encouragement by others on the night.

"He was only 16 at the time," pointed out Mr Tordoff.

"Whether he was encouraged by older people with grey beards or young men with stones in their hands perhaps is academic, but nevertheless he does say he was encouraged by other people.

"As we all know, people in a situation where there is mob violence don't think logically - as they would in other situations.''

The teenager should have been sentenced earlier this month after pleading guilty to riot, but because there was no report available he had to wait a further two weeks.

Mr Tordoff said the matter had been hanging over him since last summer and had now blighted his immediate future.

The teenager, who was accompanied to the court by his mother, was made the subject of an 18-month detention and training order, but bench chairwoman Audrey Hop-wood pointed out that he could be released early if he made good progress.

She said they had taken account of the boy's previous good character and school record, but the offence was so serious there had to be a custodial sentence.