A teenager who admitted throwing ten bricks at police lines during violent disturbances on the Ravenscliffe estate has been locked up for 30 months.

About 50 police officers in riot gear and the force helicopter were used to contain the violence which erupted in Ravenscliffe Avenue just three days after large-scale rioting in the city centre and Manningham areas.

The city's Crown Court heard yesterday how officers were confronted by a large number of white youths, some of whom had their faces masked.

Prosecutor Mark Fletton said some were armed with sticks, bats and stones and the events were recorded on video.

Louis Jones, 19, of Foston Lane, Fagley, was captured on film walking towards police lines with stones in his hands and was also filmed smashing up larger stones.

Mr Fletton said three officers were injured during the disturbance and, at one stage, a car was set alight and rolled towards the police cordon.

Jones was arrested a month later and confessed to having thrown about ten bricks in the direction of the police. He pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder and was ordered to serve 30 months in a young offenders institution.

He also received concurrent custodial sentences for other offences including burglary and aggravated vehicle taking, and was banned from driving for two years.

His lawyer Paul Milner said the offence of violence was out of character for the teenager.

He suggested that Jones's involvement was the result of a "wrong-headed" desire to fit.

He said: "He decided to fit in rather than opt out. That's something he deeply regrets. He cannot understand how he was part of it. It is not part of his normal character at all.''

Judge Stephen Gullick said he had taken account of Jones's age, his guilty pleas and lack of previous convictions for violence in reducing the sentence.

But he added: "Those who choose to take part in activities of this type must understand they do so at their peril.''

He said violent disorder was the second most serious public order offence.

He said: "The offence itself is the more serious when those involved are using weapons, be they missiles or sticks or bats, or are seen preparing weapons.

"It is further aggravated when the subjects of that unlawful violence are the very persons who we, as citizen, entrust with maintaining law and order on our streets and ensuring that our streets are safe so those who wish to use them may do so in peace.

"It must be made clear that on occasions such as this each individual who takes an active part by deed or encouragement is guilty of an extremely serious offence simply by being engaged in a crime against the peace.

"The people of this great city were rightfully shock and appalled by the events of July 7 and the proceeding days and they were entitled to look to the law and the courts for protection from people who behaved in such a violent and lawless way."