Mr Macintyre used complex bugging devices for "Macintyre Undercover"

A copy of the footage shot at the event and broadcast by the BBC, was later requested by police as part of their case.

Passing sentence, Judge James Wadsworth QC told them: "A lawful march was taking place. You three were not able to tolerate that.

"You behaved badly and what was worse you did so deliberately."

He said the right to demonstrate peacefully in Britain was very important and when "you interfere with that you do great damage to all of us."

For those reasons he had made it clear at an earlier hearing that he thought they deserved jail.

However, in view of the prosecution's decision to drop an affray allegation and because probation reports on them had proved encouraging, he had changed his mind.

Two other men were jailed last year after Macintyre's football hooligans documentary was broadcast.

Prosecuting, Charles Vaudin told the court: "Police had a real fear that some considerable and serious violence might occur."

Outside court, Browning, who has previous convictions for assault and possession of material with a view to inciting racial hatred, said: "I am not pleased I was charged in the first place. I was demonstrating against terrorists.

"The charges were a stitch-up. They [the demonstrators] deserved a kicking."

Browning, of John Silkin Lane, Bermondsey, London, Haldane, from Campsie Avenue, Irvine, Ayrshire and Osbury, of Malford Road, Oxford, all admitted using threatening words and behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace on 30 January, 1999.

They were each ordered to do 80 hours of community service and pay �750 towards prosecution costs.