A RIOTER who was caught by police with bottles full of petrol was jailed for two years.

Andrew Bradburn joined a mob of stone throwing thugs during the riots on Merseyside in August. When he was arrested, he told police he had turpentine on his hands because he had been painting earlier in the day.

But he later admitted being given the bag containing bottles of petrol by a friend.

Chris Taylor, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court Bradburn had decided to go out at 10.30pm on August 9 this year, after hearing about the riots on the TV.

Against his girlfriend’s wishes, he went to the Grange Road area of Birkenhead, near the Pyramid shopping centre, and was swept up with a group throwing stones.

Mr Taylor said: “A Constable Kerry stopped a group and a black bag was dropped.

“The bag was recovered and found to contain two plastic bottles filled with accelerant.”

He said they were “akin to” Molotov cocktails, although the petrol would have to be put in a glass bottle with a wick before it would explode.

The 22-year-old, who has learning difficulties, was arrested and admitted throwing stones, but denied knowing what was in the bag or intending to set anything on fire.

Bradburn, of Bentinck Street, Birkenhead, pleaded guilty to violent disorder but not guilty to possessing an article with intent to destroy or damage property, a charge ordered to lie on file.

Neil Gunn, defending, said: “He wasn’t involved in looting, taking anything nor damaging anything and there was no persistence.

“This was the result of a failure to take his medication combined with drugs and alcohol. He was exploited by others with more sense than him.”

Jailing him for two years, Judge Mark Brown told Bradburn he had a lack of respect for authority, other people and their property.

He added: “You were in possession of material that could potentially have caused fire and destruction. Had you intended using the petrol for the making of incendiary devices, the sentence I am about to pass would have been considerably longer.”