A police sergeant told a court his actions did not inflame a disturbance on a housing estate.

Sergeant Glenn Taylor, of Brighton Police, told Hove Crown Court he pushed a youth twice simply to move him away form a police van and himself during the incident in Whitehawk Way, Whitehawk, on April 28, last year.

Under cross-examination by Elisabeth Smaller, who is defending Asa McBride, 18, of Harbour Close, Whitehawk, Sgt Taylor admitted he had wrongly pointed out a youth on the video film as McBride.

He said it was in fact another youth.

Sgt Taylor said he had warned McBride to go home and calm down several times but the youth had continued to be abusive.

Sgt Taylor said he arrested McBride under Section 5 of the Public Order Act.

Miss Smaller said: "Do you agree there were verbals, verbal abuses coming from both sides?" Sgt Taylor replied: "Not at all."

He denied using strong language to tell the youth to go home.

Nine of the defendants, including Darren Larbey, 22, of Findon Road; Ricky Rider, 18, of Haybourne Road; Leon Page, 18, of Plaistow Close; and Lee Gumbrell, 18, of Swallow Court, and five youths who cannot be named for legal reasons are also charged with violent disorder.

They all deny the charge. The case continues.