MARSEILLE: Six England fans have been jailed for their part in the Marseille violence that marred the opening weekend of Euro 2016, with all banned from France for two years.

The men, who all appeared at court in the city during a five-hour session, were imprisoned for between one and three months.

Alexander Booth, 20, was the youngest to be jailed and received a two-month sentence, while Ian Hepworth wil be jailed for three months.

Later on Monday, four more England fans were jailed.

Ashley Kelly, 26, from Birmingham, was imprisoned for three months and given a two-year ban from France for throwing seven bottles outside the stadium.

The court heard the construction worker is a single father who lives with his parents.

Paul Jackson, 21, from Halifax, received one month in jail and a two-year ban after he threw bottles at police and supporters on Saturday.

Lee Phillips, 23, from Taunton, was also jailed for one month and given a two-year ban for throwing bottles at a woman, who also threw some back.

Booth spent his birthday in prison following his arrest for involvement in the rioting.

Booth, who was wearing an England shirt, told the court: “I would like to say sorry to the police and to the people and city of Marseille. This is not like me.

“I’m not a violent person. I love my job and my family. I’ve never been involved in football hooliganism. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am really, really sorry.”

Booth, from Huddersfield, Yorkshire, was jailed for throwing a bottle at police.

He said he had not aimed the bottle at officers and added: “I have never had problems with the police — I respect the police very much. I am hard-working.”

Bottle throwing

Hepworth, a 41-year-old psychiatric nurse from Sheffield, was sentenced for committing the same offence.

He was accused of throwing a bottle at police before walking forward to pick up a second bottle. He claimed he could not remember what had happened.

Riot police used tear gas to deal with violence in Marseille.

Earlier on Monday, Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin said 150 Russian hooligans were behind much of the violence that broke out in the city ahead of the England vs. Russia game on Saturday. However, no Russians have been jailed.

Robin told a news conference that “extremely well-trained” people were behind three days of clashes.

“These people were well prepared for ultra-rapid, ultra-violent action,” he said.

Robin said only two Russian nationals had so far been arrested, both for invading the pitch at the England game, and would be expelled from France.

Ten people, six of them British, three French and one Austrian, faced immediate court proceedings over the violence. In total, 20 people have been arrested.

Around 35 people have been injured in clashes in the port city.

A 50-year-old England fan is in a critical condition with severe brain injuries after being attacked by Russia supporters armed with iron bars, while clashes also broke out when German hooligans attacked Ukraine fans in Lille.

Robin said “almost all” of the injured were British, but added that England supporters had also been responsible for violence.

On Sunday, the executive committee of European football’s governing body warned the FA and the Russian Football Union (RFS) that “it will not hesitate to impose additional sanctions.”

England manager Roy Hodgson and captain Wayne Rooney have recorded video messages to appeal for calm.

###########