First fans in court

The sons of an Oxford University academic and a company director were among the England fans in court today accused of thuggery.

Referring to the Euro 2004 hooligans, Tony Blair told the Commons today: "They have brought shame on our country."

The fans were led into court in handcuffs, with one covered in bloodstains. One shouted "I'm innocent" as he was led into the court in Albufeira.

They were arrested with a Russian and a Portuguese man after fighting broke out near the La Bamba bar in the resort of Montechoro. The court appearances came after more than 400 England fans clashed with local police early today in a second bout of violence.

Portuguese police today described some of the men responsible for the violence as "hooligan generals" who had planned the confrontations. They said some even used their children as cover to travel freely.

The British police officer charged with containing the hooliganism today also accused the thugs of "bringing disgrace to our country." David Swift, the Staffordshire assistant chief constable spearheading the Home Office's £5million anti-hooliganism campaign added: "This was the work of drunken yobs. You can only blame the English."

Sports Minister Richard Caborn told ITV news: "Those responsible are not fans, they are hooligans, thugs who just go there to cause trouble.

"The vast majority of fans do not want that. They are proud of England's performance and that is what the fans ought to be doing, getting behind the team and not causing these distractions."

Asked whether he believed there was a risk England could be thrown out of the tournament, he said: "I would not have thought so.

"I have been talking to the Portuguese authorities, Uefa and my colleagues in the Football Association. They know we have taken every step possible to root out this rogue element, so I don't think that that type of disciplinary action will be taken."

Tournament organiser Uefa warned it may take action if the disturbances spread to England matches. It said the trouble on the Algarve was seen as unrelated to the tournament, but that position would change if there was any crowd trouble surrounding England games.

Mr Blair described the rioters' behaviour as "completely intolerable" and called for them to be heavily punished.

His comments came amid mounting fears that England might be thrown out of the tournament.

In an angry attack during Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Blair said: "The outbreaks of disorder are completely intolerable, and the police should come down very heavily. They have new powers to do that and make sure that those who engage in such disorder face heavy penalties."

He added: " Those who, whether here or indeed in Portugal, have engaged in such disorder, are a tiny minority. I don't believe they are true English football fans at all.

"They bring shame upon our country and shame upon the vast majority of English football fans who just want to enjoy the game."

Officials named the men, who arrived at the court in three secure police vans, but full addresses and ages for some of them were not available.

The officials also said they did not have the exact English spellings of some of the names and addresses.

They were named as John Parkes; David Jackson, 29; Gary Mann, 46, of Birmingham; John Jackson, 22, from Newcastle; Tsigarides, from Cheshunt; Daniel Marsh, 20, from Barnsley; Paul Donahue, 21, from Manchester; Joe Nicholls, 24, from Aldershot; Andrew Williams, 21, from Cuckfield, Burgess Hill, West Sussex; Hobbs, 19, from Beckley, Oxford; Jason Boyle, 22, from Manchester; Peter Barmick, 37, from Thornaby, Middlesbrough.

Ricky Tsigarides's mother Helen only heard of her son's arrest when told by the Evening Standard.

"This is the first thing I've heard. I'm really shocked," she said. "I took him to the airport and I haven't heard from him since.

"He didn't take his phone with him because he said it wouldn't work over there. He hasn't been in touch." She said her 21-year-old son, a chef, was to start a new job on Monday. "He's never been in trouble before. He hardly goes to the football and is normally quite quiet."

Jack Hobbs's father Dr Michael Hobbs, a consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist at Oxford's Warneford Hospital and who also lectures at Oxford University, said: "I don't know what's going on out there.

"I'm waiting to hear and have nothing to say."