A teenager facing jail for taking part in the Bradford riots is being supported by a leading city councillor.

Labour leader Councillor Ian Greenwood was with Shazad Ashraf, 19, when he handed himself into police after his photograph was published in the Telegraph & Argus.

Yesterday Ashraf, who has no previous convictions, became the first person to plead guilty to the riot charge at the Crown Court in front of Judge Stephen Gullick.

But Coun Greenwood, former leader of Bradford Council, said he hoped Ashraf would not be used as an example to other rioters and given an unduly harsh sentence. He will give Ashraf a character reference when he appears in court again later this month.

After the hearing Coun Greenwood said: "He and his family came to me when he was identified in the first batch of pictures published in the T&A and I went with him to the police station.

"I've known his family for six years and they've had a lot of problems but I'm not excusing what he did.

"Shazad has pleaded guilty and knows he has to pay for what happened."

Judge Gullick has been assigned to deal with all riot cases before the Crown Court and confirmed yesterday there would be a distinction in sentence between those who handed themselves into the police and admitted the offence and those who were convicted after a trial.

Barrister Stephen Wood, for Ashraf, explained his client had gone to the police station after his father told him to go.

"He is 19 years of age with no previous convictions, reprimands or warnings,'' said Mr Wood. "A pre-sentence report is essential, I submit, in his case."

Ashraf, who is understood to have been captured on video footage throwing objects towards police officers, will be sentenced later this month after a pre-sentence report has been prepared.

But Judge Gullick warned him the fact he was granting him bail, with a condition to live and sleep at his home in Hampden Street, Bradford, should not be taken as the slightest indication of the ultimate sentence.

"I'm bound to say that having looked at the video you should expect to receive a custodial sentence, but I will listen with care to the submissions Mr Wood will make on your behalf in due course," he said.

"All options are open including an option which involves you being sent away."