A man who made a "stupid mistake" by joining a "violent mob" outside a hotel with asylum seekers inside has been jailed.

Laurence Dunkerley, of Marlborough Drive, Failsworth, appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Monday (October 7) after previously pleading guilty to violent disorder.

On July 31 this year, dozens of people gathered outside a hotel on Oldham Road in Newton Heath, which was being used to accommodate asylum seekers.

During the violent disorder, racist abuse was aimed at the occupants of the hotel and missiles were thrown, while an attack on a bus left the driver in hospital.

READ MORE: 'What on earth were you thinking?': Mum took child to violent disorder

Kate Gaskell, prosecuting, showed the court video footage which showed Dunkerley's actions on Oldham Road on July 31.

The footage showed Dunkerley standing in the middle of the road between the lanes of traffic along with other people in a bright neon shirt.

His actions led to the disruption of traffic, while at one point, the 37-year-old knocked a bottle on a bus, which Ms Gaskell said he had "no explanation" for when interviewed by police.

Footage then showed that when police tried to move a group away, Dunkerley confronted officers and did not immediately cooperate.

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to The Oldham Times’ morning and evening newsletters as well as our breaking news alerts 

Michelle Brown, defending, said Dunkerley's attendance at the violent disorder was "misguided" and a "stupid mistake", arguing that he had attended "out of curiosity".

She added that he made a mistake remaining at the scene when it was clear that "things were escalating".

Ms Brown told the court Dunkerley had suffered with his mental health due to a bereavement in the past, adding that his attendance at the disorder was "out of character" and that he regretted it.

READ MORE: The grandmother who took part in violent disorder alongside her daughter

Passing sentence, Judge John Potter said Dunkerley made a "deliberate decision" to attend the scene on Oldham Road and join the "violent mob" when he was aware of what was going on at the scene.

He said Dunkerley was "obstructive and aggressive" towards police when they tried to move him away from the scene after he had been in the road disrupting traffic.

Judge Potter sentenced Dunkerley to 25 months in prison.