A rising star of the soccer world could be jailed for 10 years amid allegations he hurled bricks at police during the Millwall riots.

Gravesend-born Veli Hakki, 22, is facing riot charges after being identified from CCTV stills issued by police, who then made a dawn raid on his Forest Hill home.

Hakki had been on Spurs' books since being voted Slough Town Players' player of the year last season.

But the ex-Dulwich Hamlet midfielder's career could be in tatters after his address was one of those targeted by Lewisham police, last Wednesday.

In the same wave of raids, 35-year-old David Costello, of Augustine Road, Gravesend, and Stephen Hogsdon, of Mary Ann Gardens, Deptford, were also arrested.

All three men will plead at the Old Bailey following a preliminary hearing before Greenwich magistrates, the day after the raids.

And while News Shopper joined officers for the early morning operation, the leader of the investigation paid the BBC a visit.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Newman visited the corporation's offices in West London with a warrant to seize video tapes of the Hooligans series, which was screened on BBC2 earlier this year.

It is understood unseen footage stored in the Beeb's archives features many of the hardcore Millwall thugs, key to the violence on May 2.

Hundreds of officers were hurt in the violence after the defeat to Birmingham City in a promotion play-off.

Senior officers have described the violence as the worst since the 1990 poll tax riots, and the degree of aggression used by the thugs as beyond anything they have seen before.

Detectives have already spent 2,500 hours studying the CCTV tapes of the rioting, identifying more than 100 potential thugs.

During interviews of suspects, detectives from the Zampa team have been threatened with increased trouble at the Den next season and told thugs were planning to hurl "Molotov cocktail" petrol bombs.

Lewisham borough commander Chief Superintendent Mike Humphrey told News Shopper a raft of positive new measures were being put in place to police Millwall during the 2002/3 season.

He said all those involved in the violence will be identified.

July 16, 2002 13:30