TWO brothers at the heart of April's Tesco riots have been jailed for more than seven years between them.

David Foster took a full role in violent clashes with police in Cheltenham Road and joined a crowd of looters in stealing cigarettes and other stock from the newly opened store, Bristol Crown Court heard.

His younger brother Joseph, 21, was squatting at the building named Telepathic Heights, opposite the controversial new store. It was his threats that he would "petrol bomb" the store which sparked a major police operation to enter the squat on the evening of April 21, sparking a riot in the hours that followed.

Further violent disorder broke out a week later, when a late night protest led to more clashes with police followed by a rooftop stand-off on the morning of Friday, April 29, as officers cleared the squat.

The court also heard that in January David Foster joined other thugs in leaving pieces of pork at the Al Baseera Mosque in Wade Street, St Jude's.

The 23-year-old, who was living in a hostel in Jamaica Street at the time of the incidents, pleaded guilty to two violent disorders, burglary and racially aggravated behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Joseph Foster admitted causing criminal damage, threatening to cause criminal damage and having a petrol bomb with intent to damage property.

Judge Michael Roach, who sentenced the siblings separately yesterday, jailed David Foster for four-and-a-half years and Joseph Foster for two years and eight months.

He told David Foster: "You must appreciate that I can only consider a custodial sentence. The offence of racially aggravated behaviour was deeply offensive behaviour.

"Regarding the violent disorder, you were taking a full part. The burglary was sheer looting.

"The sentence must reflect the community's repugnance and serve as a deterrent."

Foster said "Love you mum" to his mother Marcia as he left the dock.

Mrs Foster, 46, from South Gloucestershire, spent hours with her husband and other children trying – but failing – to coax her older son down from a violent rooftop siege on Telepathic Heights on April 29.

Having attended court to see both her boys sent down, she told the Evening Post: "I just want to go home and forget it all now. I just want to get on with my life."

Richard Posner, prosecuting, showed the court CCTV footage of David Foster in the thick of rioting in Cheltenham Road on April 21 and into April 22. In the chaos bricks, bottles and other missiles were hurled at police and a police trailer was rolled over and plundered for police shields, helmets and fire extinguishers.

Rioters caused £100,000 of damage to the Tesco Express and stole £9,000 of stock. The court saw David Foster throw objects at the police line, attack the store with a pole and enter it.

During the course of the melee he even managed to change his clothes, the court heard.

Mr Posner said: "The violence was condemned by the local community. Residents were scared living through it. Those with children or elderly people say the offenders had no regard for them. There was shouting, screaming and intimidating noise in to the early hours of the morning. Sleep was disrupted. People were scared."

Mr Posner said other businesses, cars, private property and even a Salvation Army premises were damaged, and a clean-up following the trouble took several days.

He said: "A number of police officers were injured during the disorder – some seriously. The total cost to the taxpayer for policing the response is in excess of £800,000."

Mr Posner said David Foster, a youth and another man mounted a rooftop stand-off with police on April 29, the day of the Royal Wedding.

The youth threw missiles while Foster threatened to hurl a breeze block down.

Mr Posner said Joseph Foster was a "catalyst" for the police raid on Telepathic Heights but was in custody when rioting ensued as a result.

He said Joseph Foster daubed blue paint on a Tesco door on April 15 and was arrested for criminal damage and bailed.

Six days later, on April 21, having been told not to come within 50 metres of any Tesco shop, he was spotted on the roof of Telepathic Heights pouring liquid from a five litre petrol can into a brown bottle.

Mr Posner said: "He shouted he was going to petrol bomb Tesco. He was shouting 'Tesco should burn!' and was very aggressive.

"He was running a finger across his throat and closing and opening his fist, making an explosion."

Police decided to raid the squat and found a "volatile organic compound" in a bottle, although it was not flammable. A green container had traces of petrol and there were four disposable lighters. Joseph Foster said he had been on the roof, he had been drinking and a can found was nothing to do with him.

The court also saw CCTV footage of two men leaving slices of meat on railings outside the Al Baseera Mosque in Wade Street, St Jude's, on January 9, shortly before people arrived for morning prayers. About a dozen slices of pork and meat were placed on the floor and inside some worshippers' shoes.

Mr Posner said when police removed the meat they heard giggling from a hostel opposite. David Foster was identified as one of the offenders and arrested.

David Rhodes, defending Joseph Foster, accepted his client's actions sparked rioting but he did not himself riot. He described him as a "little boy lost", saying he had an extremely low IQ and was immature, easily led and had been bereft of parenting guidance.

Mr Rhodes said: "Joseph Foster did not have the intellect for the principle campaign regarding Tesco, or the malice for the angrier campaign. He can't even spell capitalism."

David Maunder, defending David Foster, said his client was an alcoholic, who was remorseful for what he had done and understood the difficulties people in the Muslim community undergo. Mr Maunder said: "Regarding Tesco, he became embroiled. He fell in with the wrong crowd and has bitterness towards those who involved him."