UK riots: Father-of-three given thre years for police van attack

Nicholas Sinclair, 38, was also sentenced to two years and four months for his involvement in the rioting.

The manager of a scaffolding firm from Birkdale admitted throwing bricks and pleaded guilty to violent disorder as a result.

Two other men were sentenced at the same time.

Daniel Carrigan, 41, of Liverpool, admitted to throwing two items at the window of the police van. He said he was struggling with cocaine addiction and had been on the drug at the time.

He was jailed for two years and eight months.

Thomas Whitehead, 53, of Southport, who worked as a gardener, was given a year and eight months for throwing an object during the violent disorder.

The court was told he “does not know what took hold of him when he threw that one missile from the back of the group”.

All the men were told they would be made to serve at least half of their sentences.