Four youths were seen giving each other celebratory handshakes in court after receiving sentences of less than two years for their involvement in the summer riots.

Alexander Ellis, 20, of Fairbairn Green, Brixton, Shamari McKay, 18, of Groveland Road, Streatham, and two 17-year-old youths from Clapham and Brixton, laughed and smiled as they were jailed for throwing bottles at police as chaos hit the streets of Brixton.

The four were members of a large gang which convened on the town centre during the evening of August 7, the Inner London Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

Charlotte Newell, prosecuting, said the gang – which included thugs carrying a three foot pole and even an axe – paraded the streets attacking small businesses and stealing goods.

She said the youths were involved in tense stand offs with police officers, as well as with a rival gang under the railway bridge on Atlantic Road, causing Brixton Splash carnival revellers to disperse.

“Each of these young men were present and participating in the use and the threat of violence on that day, with members of the public enjoying the carnival and going about their day-to-day business,” she said. “None of these defendants were directly involved in the violation of shops but some were present.”

The court heard police arrested Ellis on August 30 after he was caught on CCTV throwing bottles at lines of police in Coldharbour Lane at 6pm.

As the disorder continued, the footage showed him joining another group which began smashing the windows of a T-Mobile store in Brixton Road, then raiding the shop.

Sentencing him to 16 months in a young offenders’ institute, Judge Fraser said: “You are the oldest of the four I sentence today. You have one previous conviction.

“It is quite clear this offence represents a serious escalation in your offending. I hope you will change your life in the future.”

McKay, who has six previous convictions for offences including robbery and burglary, was also jailed after pleading guilty to one count of violent disorder.

He was sentenced to four months and handed a further four month sentence after invoking a suspended sentence for robbery.

Two other youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were sentenced to six months and four months in a young offenders’ institution.

All four defendants were told they could be released under supervision after serving half their sentence.