An 18-year-old's birthday night at the bingo has ended with him spending 20 months at a young offenders institute after joining violent disorder in Hartlepool. 

Bobby Shirbon celebrated his birthday with family at the bingo in Hartlepool on July 31, Teesside Crown Court heard on Thursday.

A judge said what should have been a "joyous" day of "celebration" ended with him joining an ugly "mob".

But when he saw reports on social media of a gathering in the town he "foolishly" went along to join in at about 10.30pm and was part of a group throwing missiles including bricks and glass bottles at police. 

A judge said he was a "prominent part" of the group.

He then went to a second gathering the evening after on August 1 where potatoes, glass and rocks were again thrown at police vehicles.

The court heard that Officer PC Harrison was in a police van when he heard a "number of particularly loud thuds" from the rear and that Shirbon was in the vicinity and as he passed had thrown objects at the police van.

He was identified as being responsible for throwing a bottle at the van, prosecutor Moss Rachel Masters said.

She added that Shirbon, of Yeovil Walk, Hartlepool, said, "It's OK, everybody's doing it" when speaking to police. 

In interview, Shirbon largely gave no comment but denied involvement in either offence.

Cleveland Police estimates £300k of damage overall to its property due to riots in Middlesbrough and Hartlepool.

Follow live from Teesside Crown Court as we bring you updates from sentencing throughout the day.

Mitigating, Mr Cahill KC said: "They have been to the bingo and saw there was a disturbance going on. Instead of going home, very foolishly,  he went to see what was going on.

"There's clearly a difficulty with this defendant's impulsivity and thinking skills."

"A pre-sentence report said Shirbon did not show any racist views or ideology"

He pleaded guilty to two charges of violent disorder before the Magistrates' court on August 3.

Mr Cahill added that Shirbon is a registered carer for his mother and had no record with the police.

Sentencing him to 20 months in a young offenders institute, Judge Francis Laird KC said: "The 31st of July was your 18th birthday. A day which should have been joyous and a cause for celebration. But it ended up with you confronting police officers as part of an ugly, aggressive and violent mob."