Brick-throwing teenage rioter locked up

A teenage rioter, who threw bricks at police and tried to overturn a van which was later set on fire in West Bromwich, was today starting a 32-month sentence at a young offenders' institution.

Alexander Pascale Yates, of Beaconview Road, West Bromwich, admitted a charge of violent disorder, as one of around 40 yobs who rampaged through the town's streets in last August's riots.

He was 18 years old at the time and was captured on CCTV cameras breaking up house bricks torn from a nearby wall so the mob had more to throw.

He can also be seen launching a piece of brick at least once from a line of hooded rioters and overturning a wheelie bin before its contents were set on fire in the middle of the High Street.

Yates, now 19, was also captured attempting to flip over a Dhillons Catering van which the mob later torched, as disorder reigned in broad daylight.

Ms Sati Ruck, prosecuting, said Yates ignored an earlier warning from officers to leave the scene before being caught on CCTV.

He was identified as one of the few people involved who did not wear anything covering their face or their head.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday that Yates was once a promising Tipton Harriers athlete who had success in regional heats but his "downfall started around the age of 16, when he was introduced to illicit drugs".

Mr Jas Mann, defending, said: "Thereafter his life spiralled out of control and it led to acquisitive crime. He managed to come out of his addiction to illicit drugs and onto licit drugs like alcohol." By the time of the riots, Mr Mann told the court, Yates was drinking 14 cans of lager or Special Brew each day and considered two cans of Special Brew "breakfast".