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| Croydon furniture shop fire accused 'asked for lighter' | Croydon furniture shop fire accused 'asked for lighter' |
| (36 minutes later) | |
| A man accused of starting a fire that destroyed a Croydon furniture store during the riots asked other looters to give him a lighter, a jury has heard. | |
| Gordon Thompson, 33, is charged with setting a sofa alight at House of Reeves, south London, on 8 August. | Gordon Thompson, 33, is charged with setting a sofa alight at House of Reeves, south London, on 8 August. |
| The prosecution told the Old Bailey that Thompson, who denies the charges, watched as others smashed a window and was one of the first into the building. | The prosecution told the Old Bailey that Thompson, who denies the charges, watched as others smashed a window and was one of the first into the building. |
| He allegedly stole a laptop, and as he left asked around for a lighter. | He allegedly stole a laptop, and as he left asked around for a lighter. |
| 'Forced to flee' | 'Forced to flee' |
| Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow said: "On leaving the store, he asked another of the rioters for a lighter and, as soon as he was given one, went back to the shop and set fire to a sofa inside the shattered window. | Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow said: "On leaving the store, he asked another of the rioters for a lighter and, as soon as he was given one, went back to the shop and set fire to a sofa inside the shattered window. |
| "The ensuing fire razed the building to the ground. | "The ensuing fire razed the building to the ground. |
| "Such was the ferocity of the blaze that embers and heat from the flames set fire to property on the other side of the road and numerous residents were forced to flee their homes for their lives. | "Such was the ferocity of the blaze that embers and heat from the flames set fire to property on the other side of the road and numerous residents were forced to flee their homes for their lives. |
| "Indeed one young woman became trapped inside her flat and was forced to jump from a first-floor window into the arms of rescuers waiting below." | "Indeed one young woman became trapped inside her flat and was forced to jump from a first-floor window into the arms of rescuers waiting below." |
| The court heard that Thompson has admitted burglary of two shops in Croydon - Iceland and House of Fraser - but denies any involvement in the attack on Reeves. | The court heard that Thompson has admitted burglary of two shops in Croydon - Iceland and House of Fraser - but denies any involvement in the attack on Reeves. |
| He is on trial for violent disorder, burglary of Reeves, arson with intent to endanger life and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, all on 8 August last year. | He is on trial for violent disorder, burglary of Reeves, arson with intent to endanger life and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, all on 8 August last year. |
| The court was told that Thompson, of Waddon Road, Croydon, "ran riot through the streets" that day. | The court was told that Thompson, of Waddon Road, Croydon, "ran riot through the streets" that day. |
| Mr Glasgow said: "What you are concerned with are two separate matters. | Mr Glasgow said: "What you are concerned with are two separate matters. |
| "First, you need to consider the general conduct of this defendant, and the mob with whom he was associating, as he roamed lawlessly around Croydon looting and vandalising shops and frightening those who were powerless to stop him. | "First, you need to consider the general conduct of this defendant, and the mob with whom he was associating, as he roamed lawlessly around Croydon looting and vandalising shops and frightening those who were powerless to stop him. |
| "Secondly, you need to consider his specific conduct in relation to the furniture store, which he broke into, stole from and finally destroyed in a callous and vindictive act which endangered the lives of countless people." | "Secondly, you need to consider his specific conduct in relation to the furniture store, which he broke into, stole from and finally destroyed in a callous and vindictive act which endangered the lives of countless people." |
| 'Unprecedented scale' | |
| Reeves had stood at the site for 150 years before the arson attack, the jury was told. | Reeves had stood at the site for 150 years before the arson attack, the jury was told. |
| Mr Glasgow said the country had seen unrest on an "unprecedented scale" last summer, and that: "Men and women, apparently of all ages and backgrounds, descended on the streets determined to steal what they could and set upon causing as much damage as they were able. | Mr Glasgow said the country had seen unrest on an "unprecedented scale" last summer, and that: "Men and women, apparently of all ages and backgrounds, descended on the streets determined to steal what they could and set upon causing as much damage as they were able. |
| "The defendant is one of those rioters." | "The defendant is one of those rioters." |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |