Three men who took part in a “serious” riot which caused £18,000 damage to a Shropshire young offenders’ institution were back behind bars today beginning fresh custodial sentences.

A fourth who admitted criminal damage – Alexander Newton, 20, of The Knolls, Gains Park, Shrewsbury – walked free from court.

He was given one year’s detention and training suspended for two years following the riot in which prison officers were forced to evacuate a wing fearing for their safety.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday, he was also handed 250 hours’ unpaid work for his part in the incident at Stoke Heath Young Offenders’ Institution, near Market Drayton, on October 7, 2008.

Peter Deville, 19, of Loughborough, admitted prison mutiny and was given 30 months’ detention and training.

James Edwards, 20, of Wythenshawe, Manchester, admitted violent disorder and was given two years’ detention and training.

Marcus Woolley, 21, of Birmingham, admitted violent disorder.

He was jailed for two years.

Miss Jennifer Josephs, prosecuting, said some detainees had grown hostile towards staff in the days before the riot, which Deville started by hurling a chair at a television.

She said governors had branded the scene of the riot as one of “major devastation”.

The court heard it took two-and-a-half hours for prison officers to bring B-wing under control and three weeks to repair the damage.

The defendants’ legal teams all told the court that their clients were due some credit for their admissions of guilt.