A former clothes shop worker has been spared jail because of illness, despite admitting throwing a stone at police during the Bradford riots.

Amjad Aziz Bashir, 32, pictured, of Lynton Drive, Heaton, was given a two-year suspended sentence by Judge Stephen Gullick when he appeared before Bradford Crown Court. He had admitted one charge of riot.

Details of Bashir's medical condition were not revealed in open court.

Judge Gullick said: "This was an extremely serious incident against the backdrop of what was happening at the time."

"Your personal circumstances are such that in my judgement it would be appropriate to extend to you, simply as an act of mercy, a sentence which does not involve going to prison."

Henry Prosser, prosecuting, said: "At the time of the offence, Bashir was the sales manager of Top Man in Bradford city centre."

He said Bashir was seen on video at 8.20pm on Lincoln Road, off Whetley Hill, holding a brick, running and throwing it at a line of police officers.

"After throwing the brick, he was seen to run away and was not seen again."

Mr Prosser said his photograph appeared in the Telegraph & Argus and the following day he went to Bradford police station.

He told police he had been working at Top Man which had to close early and then drove staff home and went to his parents in Whetley Hill. He was told his two younger brothers were not at home and he went out to look for them.

"He said there was a crowd of police officers on horseback, they told him to 'move off' and he found the attitude of that police officer arrogant," said Mr Prosser.

Bashir, who has an eight-year-old child, denied he had thrown a brick and said it was a stone.

Sukhbir Bassra, for Bashir, said he had to be held responsible for what he did but he was not aware of what else was happening.

"He had the courage, knowing what he had done, to go to the police," he said.

Mr Bassra said frustration had been building up because of his health problems and having to go out and look for his brothers when he was not feeling well himself.

Bashir was born with the illness and had to spend a lot of time in hospital, had not been able to lead a normal life and had never felt well.

After the case a spokeswoman for Top Man said Bashir was a sales assistant at the store but was no longer employed there and refused to give details of when or why he left.

l A takeaway owner was jailed for 18 months for throwing four stones at police during the riots.

Mazhar Hussain, 30, of Victor Street, Manningham, admitted violent disorder.

John Topham, prosecuting, said he had no previous convictions and was seen throwing the stones at about 5.35pm at Infirmary Fields.

Nick Carter, mitigating, said he apologised for the offence.