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Wednesday 20 April 2011

English Defence League youth facing jail over mass brawl (UK)

Joel Titus centre
A prominent member of the English Defence League (EDL) is facing jail over his role in a pre-arranged fight between football hooligans.

Joel Titus, 18, took part in the bloody brawl between Brentford and Leyton Orient supporters outside Liverpool Street station in central London in May last year.

The A-level student was captured on CCTV hurling objects at rivals and fighting over a wooden pole with another thug.

Titus had previously been cautioned for battery after punching a journalist at a right-wing demonstration against the "Islamification of Europe" in December 2009, the Old Bailey heard.

Earlier this year he was found guilty of threatening behaviour after snarling "f*** off" at a police officer who tried to break up a fight.

He is reported to be a youth organiser for the EDL and has appeared on the BBC Newsnight programme talking about his role in protests.

Titus, of North View, Pinner, north-west London, appeared in court alongside five other men, all of whom admitted a charge of affray at earlier hearings.

They are: Dean Wells, 24, of Isleworth, west London; Steven Donovan, 20, of Hayes, Middlesex; Andrew Hudson, 26, of Hornchurch, Essex; David Mitchell, 19, of Littlehampton, West Sussex; and Thomas Armstrong, 24, of Woodford Green, Essex.

All six were remanded in custody to be sentenced tomorrow.

The court heard that the mass brawl, which involved people punching and kicking and the use of weapons, as well as bottles being thrown, appeared to take place "by prior arrangement".

Henrietta Paget, prosecuting, said Brentford hooligans had travelled to the scene after their home match against Hartlepool, to meet Leyton Orient thugs on their way back from an away match at Colchester.

By early evening the Orient group, including Armstrong and Hudson, were drinking at Dirty Dicks bar in Bishopsgate while the other four defendants were among those at the Railway Tavern in Liverpool Street.

CCTV footage showed the two sets of hooligans coming together in a violent confrontation before being dispersed by the arrival of a police car.

One of the thugs, Hudson, later told police that there was "history" between supporters of the two clubs dating back to the 1980s.

Titus was captured on camera, wearing a khaki jacket with a hood up, fighting alongside fellow hooligans.

He later told police he was an Arsenal fan who occasionally went to watch Brentford and had been out that night celebrating the end of the football season.

Titus said he was at the scene of the violence after he heard shouting and jogged down to see what it was about, but denied knowing what the fight was about or that it was planned.

The court heard that he was wearing a glove on one hand, which was specially designed to protect him from glass.

In December last year, while on bail over the affray, he threatened a police officer who tried to break up a fight.

"Mr Titus, with a half-full pint glass of beer, said 'f*** off, you aren't wanted here' and moved aggressively towards him," said Miss Paget.

He was convicted of threatening behaviour and is due to be sentenced at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in May.

There was also a conviction for knife possession in 2006.

In December 2009 he received a caution for battery following a "far-right demonstration" at Harrow civic centre to "stop the Islamification of Europe", during which he punched a journalist.

Veronica Ramsden, for Titus, said he had "done well academically".

She said he was studying for A-levels including media studies, hoping for an A-grade, and that he planned to go on to Birmingham University to pursue a degree.

Miss Ramsden said he was "heartily sorry" to have been involved in the violence.

24Dash