Press Association
Saturday 11th February 2012
All but one of 12 rioting football hooligans who took part in the worst destruction Manchester has suffered "since the blitz" will be going to jail, a judge has said.
They were among hundreds of Rangers fans who caused "mayhem" at the Uefa Cup final held in the city two years ago.
Police were attacked and property damaged in the hours of violence in the city centre, and two police officers - Mick Regan and John Goodwin - were caught by the mob, surrounded and battered, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Judge Andrew Blake had indicated 11 of the 12 were going to jail and had sentenced eight of the defendants before a fire alarm caused the court to be evacuated temporarily.
Several defendants put thumbs up to weeping relatives in the public gallery as they were led down to the cells.
Passing sentence Judge Andrew Blake said: "The riot police were deployed in full riot gear and struggled to contain the trouble and restore order.
"What followed was the worst night of violence and destruction suffered by Manchester city centre since the blitz."
There were audible gasps from the public gallery as he jailed Scott McSeveney for three and a half years for violent disorder and the assault on Pc John Goodwin.
Pc Goodwin was separated from his detachment, outnumbered by tens of fans and attacked.
He was only saved after a Rangers fan, Sharon Gibson, lay across him and her boyfriend shouted: "You are letting the team down!"
