Rioter Ryan Elwood has been jailed

A RIOTER who was identified by tattoos on his lower arm which showed his name and date of birth has been sent to jail.

Ryan Samuel Elwood (25) admitted taking part in a riot, which broke out in the Woodvale Road area of north Belfast on July 13 last year, after consuming a mixture of cannabis, vodka and Buckfast.

Elwood, from Berlin Street off the Shankill Road in west Belfast, was handed a 20-month sentence by Judge Sandra Crawford on Tuesday, who told him that he will serve half the term in prison with the remaining 10 months on licence.

Trouble flared in the flashpoint area amid an ongoing row about a Parades Commission determination not to allow a Orange Lodge to walk past the Ardoyne shop fronts.

Elwood - whose girlfriend is from Ardoyne - hung his head when CCTV footage of his actions was played at Belfast Crown Court.

This footage showed Elwood, who was in the area for an hour, throwing items at police lines including a long wooden post.

A Crown prosecutor said that when the CCTV footage was viewed, Elwood was identified by his face and distinctive tattoos. He also came to police attention when officers searched Facebook.

Following his arrest, Elwood admitted to police he had taken part in the riot.

Defence solicitor Paul McCann from Madden and Finucane spoke of Elwood's involvement in cross-community work and said it was "somewhat ironic that his partner is from the area behind the police lines".

Saying Elwood knew he should not have got involved in the disorder, Mr McCann said his client had been affected by his cannabis and alcohol consumption but was a family-orientated man who had worked as a cleaner since leaving school.

Passing sentence, Judge Sandra Crawford praised Elwood's working record but said "any form of riotous behaviour is to be deplored".

Before Tuesday's sentencing hearing, Elwood discussed his case with friends on Facebook. He also posted a photograph of a jail cell with the slogan 'if you didn't wake up to this, it's a good day'.