Almost £2m claimed after 'senseless and shameful' riots

Almost £2m of riot compensation has been claimed after 'senseless and shameful' rioting broke out over the summer. Violence erupted across the country after three young girls were killed in a knife attack at a children's dance event in Southport.

After false reports began to proliferate online, rioting originally broke out in Southport on July 30 when hundreds of people gathered outside Southport Mosque and started hurling bricks and attempted to break in the front door.

More than 50 officers were injured in the night of violence, which was followed by further rioting in Liverpool and multiple locations across the country. So far, 144 people have been arrested with 100 now charged, and 79 people sentenced to a total of 164 years and five months.

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In the days following, hundreds of people were involved in acts of violence targeting property entirely unrelated to the event. As a result buildings were vandalised, including mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers. Furthermore, shops were looted, cars damaged and Spellow Lane library was set on fire.

As a way of supporting the communities impacted by the violent disorder, officials asked individuals and businesses to claim compensation under the Riot Compensation Act (RCA) 2016. The RCA was designed to give people the right to claim financial support if they suffered criminal damage or loss during a riot.

Local Police and Crime Commissioners have the statutory responsibility for Riot Compensation claims or - in some cases - the local mayor’s office. Claims for the scheme have amounted to almost £2m with the figure expected to increase as more claims are dealt with.

According to the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), a total of 88 compensation claims have been received by eight Police and Crime Commissioners total more than £1.9m. Furthermore, as eligibility for the RCA scheme is limited to damage not covered by insurance, the total financial cost of the riots is likely to be much higher.

The financial claims in Merseyside are more than double the cost of any other place in country and currently amount to £799,446.79. Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Having spent time in some of the areas affected by the shameful scenes of violence and disorder, it was quite clear to see the scale of damage to properties and vehicles.

"It’s vital that everyone affected by these appalling incidents can access the financial support to which they are entitled."

A government spokesperson said: “The senseless looting and vandalism of businesses that we saw in the summer was appalling, those responsible are still being brought to justice and the costs of that damage are in many cases still being assessed."