The damning CCTV images that led to thug's downfall

A thug launched a wheelie bin at police before wrapping his face in an England flag and chucking missiles at officers. Paul Harrison, from Wigan, was part of a mob that sparked violence in Southport on July 30 - the day after the town was hit by knife attacks which killed three young girls.

The 30-year-old was filmed throwing the bin, along with bottles, at officers responding to the disorder. In the footage, Harrison can be seen goading police and swearing at them.

Litter pours out onto the street as Harrison lifts a wheelie bin above his head, before chucking it in the direction of a police van. He is then seen covering his face with the flag, tying it behind his head, and grabbing glass bottles from a recycling bin to throw at police.

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Violence erupted in Southport when false information was spread about the identity of the knife attacker - sparking a wave of disorder across the country. Harrison, of Warrington Road, Wigan, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday (September 9).

He was jailed for two years and four months. Harrison appeared alongside fellow rioter Jordan Gibson, 33, of Whelley, Wigan.

Merseyside Police said Gibson was seen goading officers at the front of a large group and throwing bricks at officers and their vehicles. He later kicked at a wall in order to dismantle it to generate more bricks to use as missiles.

Gibson was jailed for two years and six months. Their sentences mean that 45 people have now been jailed for almost 100 years combined for their parts in disorder across Liverpool and Southport.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts, of Merseyside