A man caught on camera kicking out at a police line during widespread disorder in Sunderland has today (Monday, December 2) admitted a charge of riot.

John Paul Kirtley was seen at the forefront of the confrontation with police in the city centre on the evening of Friday, August 2, following an anti-immigration protest.

The 26-year-old defendant of Rutherglen Road, Red House, Sunderland, handed himself into police following the circulation of images from the disturbances which blighted the city after the protest march.

He originally pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder at a court appearance earlier in proceedings.

(Image: Northumbria Police) But this was one of the cases in which the Crown Prosecution Service “upgraded” the charge to the more serious count of riot, which carries a potential sentence of up to ten years, compared to a maximum of five years for violent disorder.

(Image: Northumbria Police) The court heard today that an application by his legal team to have the riot charge thrown out as “an abuse of process” had failed.

(Image: Northumbria Police) Judge Julie Clemitson said she had “considered very carefully” the arguments submitted by lawyers representing both the defendant and a youth co-accused, who cannot be named due to his age.

She merely added: “It’s not an abuse of process.”

(Image: Northumbria Police) The case of the 16-year-old, who was 15 at the time of the incident, was remitted back to be dealt with at the youth court, provisionally in February.

But, Kirtley was remanded in custody to be sentenced, possibly with other rioters, at the crown court on January 31.

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His counsel, Laura Miller, said he was aware of the type and length of sentence that is likely to be passed in the case.

Images released after the case by Northumbria Police showed Kirtley, at times shirtless and waving an England flag around, seeming to revel in the confrontations taking place.

He was also spotted pushing a shopping trolley towards police lines and kicking out at the shields of officers in riot gear.