A man has been jailed for smashing GMP cars while wearing a pink balaclava in Bolton’s Morrisons car park.

James Nelson, aged 18, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Manchester Magistrates Court.

He is believed to have become the first person to be jailed after riots across England and Wales.

The court heard how Nelson, of Victoria Road, Horwich, damaged the vehicles on Sunday, August 4, as demonstrators clashed in the town centre.

Prosecuting, John Potter described how police officers returned to the Ford Focus and Peugeot vehicles parked at Morrisons on Black Horse Street to find ‘significant’ windscreen damage, side windows smashed, and a wing mirror knocked off.

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Mr Potter described Nelson as being of ‘good character’ with no previous convictions, but said his offence was aggravated by the demonstrations over the weekend.

Defending, duty solicitor Gabriella Black said Nelson, who lives with his grandparents, ‘suffers from ADHD’ and has issues with anger, and had not been taking his medication at the time of the offence.

She added that the offence “was completely out of character for him.”

In response, District Judge Joanne Hirst asked Ms Black “why did he attend a mass demonstration wearing a pink balaclava,” to which Black responded she was not sure.

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Judge Hirst continued: “Let’s assume he was trying to evade identification should he be involved in violence.”

READ MORE: Day 2 in court after chaos in Bolton over weekend

Judge Hirst said she would not be ordering a report before sentencing as she considered there would be ‘nothing that came out of it’ that would deter her imposing an immediate custodial sentence.

She said: “You were involved in the appalling and shameful disorder that impacted national the national community and Bolton community.”

She added: “You may have difficulties, but I imagine everyone involved in that violence has difficulties.”

Judge Hirst said an immediate custodial sentence would be the only type of punishment that would be enough ‘to deter others from damaging police vehicles’.

Nelson was sentenced to two months imprisonment and ordered to pay £4,999 compensation.

If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of Bolton. Please get in touch at jack.fifield@newsquest.co.uk.