A MASS brawl involving Colchester United supporters was triggered by anti-IRA chanting, a court heard yesterday. A group of Colchester fans, including a stockbroker and a bank clerk, clashed with West Ham United supporters outside a bar at London's Euston station.

A MASS brawl involving Colchester United supporters was triggered by anti-IRA chanting, a court heard yesterday.

A group of Colchester fans, including a stockbroker and a bank clerk, clashed with West Ham United supporters outside a bar at London's Euston station.

During the fight, which was captured on CCTV, bar stools were hurled and there was an exchange of punches.

At Snaresbrook Crown Court in London, it was revealed the two sets of so-called supporters had arranged on the internet to meet up and then look for trouble together.

Brendan Morris, prosecuting, said several of those in the dock had followed their team to an away clash in Milton Keynes earlier in the day.

Afterwards they met up at the Britannia pub at Euston with some friends and a number of West Ham fans.

The barrister said an internet posting seemed to suggest the gathering had been planned beforehand and initially the meeting was amicable.

“It appears to say both sets of fans were going to meet up and have a nose around King's Cross where Tottenham supporters would flow through,” he said.

In the event everything remained friendly until someone began chanting anti-IRA slogans.

“This upset one of the West Ham fans who had Irish roots, and started this incident,” Mr Morris added.

Despite the violent scenes no one was injured and there was not any damage, the court was told but

the CCTV footage allowed the principal culprits to be identified and arrested.

None of the West Ham fans involved in the violence on January 15 last year were ever charged.

The men, who all pleaded guilty to various charges at an earlier hearing, were sentenced yesterday.

Bank clerk Russell James, 24, of Stoneham Avenue, Clacton, was sentenced to 120 hours community service.

Unemployed Aiden Bayes, 23, of Bourne Road, Colchester, received an 80-hour community punishment.

Adrian Oakley, 42, a labourer from Valentines Drive, Colchester, also was sentenced to 100 hours community punishment.

Philip Stubbins, 20, a carpenter of Hamilton Road, Wivenhoe, was given 80 hours community punishment.

Steven Hughes, a 19-year-old labourer from Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, was hit with 100 hours community punishment.

They each admitted one offence of affray on January 15 last year.

Delroy Mairah, also a labourer, for Crown Bays Road, Colchester, received an 18-month community supervision order after admitting affray on the same date.

The 23-year-old, who threw a bar stool during the violence, was also fined £500 and ordered to pay £250 towards prosecution costs.

Bricklayer Glen Langley, 22, of Enville Way, Colchester, pleaded guilty to using threatening words and behaviour and received 80 hours community punishment and was ordered to pay £200 costs.

Judge John Platt told them: “There is a great deal wrong when those who gather in groups have too much to drink and who behave in a way that causes distress to the general public. That is when you stepped over the line. There is never an excuse.”

An eighth defendant, stockbroker Jolyon Everitt, 28, of Canning Town, east London, was dealt with on an earlier occasion and was bound over in the sum of £500.

Afterwards Sergeant Dave Hine from the Metropolitan Police's football intelligence unit said: “Violence in the name of football - whether near grounds or in the streets - is a crime and we will target those responsible and do all we can to bring them before the courts.

“These people are not fans - they are using football as a cover for crime and violence.

“Anyone who does this ruins the game for every true supporter. Football banning orders will be sought to keep those violent trouble makers away from games.”