THe following pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Newcastle Crown Court.

David Breeds, 29, of Devonshire Street, Monkwearmouth, was jailed for six months.

Stephen Goodfellow, 31, of Rotherford Square, Redhouse, Sunderland, Malcolm Clare, 39, of Seton Avenue, South Shields, Sean Rogers, 29, of General Graham Street, Sunderland, and Jonathan Carpenter, 30, of Wardley, Manchester, were jailed for four months.

The following were ordered to carry out 100 hours community punishment after pleading guilty to violent disorder:

Mark Higgins, 29, of Wear Street South, Hylton, Sunderland, Mark Smith, 34, of Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, Ian Rainbow, 28, of King George Road, South Shields, Robert Stephenson, 34, of Vernon Close, South Shields. Douglas Donkin, 36, of Vine Street, South Shields. Steven Thirlwell, 26, of Newbury Street, Fulwell, Sunderland. Kevin Weir, 22, of Melrose Crescent, Seaham. Kenneth Chapel, 21, of Torvel Crescent, Fulwell, Sunderland, and Stephen McGeorge, 32, of Folingsby Lane, Washington.

Nicholas Atkinson, 24, of Lyndon Drive, East Boldon, was ordered to pay £1,000 fine as he was not suitable for community punishment.

The following pleaded guilty to affray: Christopher Mullins, 26, of Droylsden, Manchester, (50 hours community punishment); and Andrew Robson, 29, of Sunderland Road, East Boldon, (100 hours community punishment).

James Owens, 26, of Riverdale, Castletown, Sunderland, and David Brooke 27, of Laws Street, Fulwell, Sunderland, admitted affray and will be sentenced in three weeks.

The case against Anthony Coghlan, 26, of Stainton Grove, Sunderland, accused of conspiracy to cause violent disorder, was allowed to lie on file.

Eleven were tried at Teesside Crown Court last November and found guilty of conspiracy to cause violent disorder.

Jason Jameson, 31, of Whickham Street, Sunderland, and Graham Russell, 32, of Eleanor Street, Cullercoats, were jailed for four years.

Christopher Batty, 29, of Alston Crescent, Sunderland, and Paul Clements, 23, of Blagdon Avenue, South Shields, were jailed for five months.

James Burwood, 22, of Trevor Terrace, North Shields, was jailed for 12 months.

Steven Jary, 25, of Glagedale Court, South Shields, Christopher Tapken, 24, of Park Crescent East, North Shields, Mark Wilson, 28, of Wartin Avenue, Seaham, and Christopher Miller, 27, of Ashbrooke Terrace, East Boldon, were jailed for four months.

Daren Leng, 31, of Grosvenor Gardens, Manchester, was jailed for six months.

John Sharp, 38, of Elwin Close, Seaton Sluice, was jailed for 18 months.

Robert Reed, 22, of Fountains Crescent, Hebburn, and Stephen Bamborough, 33, of Cranberry Road, Hylton Castle, Sunderland, were found not guilty after the five-week trial.

No evidence was offered against Keith Russell, 33, of Kenton Road, North Shields, after legal submissions were made on his behalf.

The jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of Paul Bine, 37, of Minton Lane, North Shields.

A gang of more than 50 rival football supporters used mobile telephones to set up a mass street brawl.

One witness to the fight, at North Shields ferry landing on March 18, 2000, said the chaos was similar to a battle scene from the film Braveheart.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Sunderland football supporters travelled north across the Tyne by ferry.

They were met by waiting rival Newcastle supporters where weapons, fists and feet were used to conquer the other side.

Many people were injured and one man, who suffered a fractured skull, has not yet recovered fully.

Michael Graham, prosecuting, told the court that 35 men were arrested.

Mobile phone records revealed that the brawl had been set up by gang leaders using text messages and calls.

The men appeared at Newcastle and Teesside Crown Courts and were all initially charged with conspiracy to cause violent disorder.

It emerged last night that a legal loophole means that there is nothing to stop the fans travelling to see the World Cup in the summer.

Northumbria Police wanted to apply for a banning order which would have prevented them from going to football matches at home and abroad.

But because the violence did not occur at a football match, the banning order was not granted.

Superintendent Keith Felton said: "It was clearly football related violence, but there was no match between Newcastle and Sunderland that day.

"Our legal advisors told us it would be impossible to get a banning order in those circumstances.

"It means that, in theory, some of these people, those who are not now in prison, could travel to the World Cup.

"But we have warned all authorities of who they are and we are watching them very closely."