Croydon riots arson: 'Losing shop like a bereavement'

A looter has been jailed for 11-and-a-half years for starting a fire which destroyed a family-run furniture shop in south London in the summer riots.

Gordon Thompson, 34, stole a laptop from the House of Reeves in Croydon on 8 August before setting fire to a sofa.

The burnt-out store has since been demolished but the company, which has been in the Reeves family for five generations, is still trading from refurbished premises across the street.

Speaking after the verdict, Maurice and Trevor Reeves said that losing their shop had been "like a bereavement", but vowed to "fight back" and continue serving Croydon.