A victim of last year's riots felt further indignation when he received a court judgement while he was waiting to be paid compensation. 

Siva Raj, 34, who owns the Best-One shop on Lower Road in Sutton, had to fork out £4,400 to fix his window after looters destroyed it a year ago today. 

As the shop was his family's livelihood, Mr Raj could not afford to close for a day, and as most glazers were busy trying to repair Croydon, he went to an unknown salesman in desperation.

When the bill arrived, which was three times what his normal glazer charges, Mr Raj refused to pay until his compensation and insurance paid out.

But before the cheques arrived, Mr Raj learned he had received a county court judgement for not paying what he thought was a "rip off" glazer.

On the morning after the disturbances in Sutton, the father-of-one had arrived to find his shop reduced to rubble.

He said: "I had been watching Croydon on fire on the telly, but I never thought it would spread to Sutton. But then I found out our alarm was going off.  I rushed to the shop but when I got there it was too late."

In a matter of minutes looters had ransacked the store and stolen nearly £5000 of alcohol and cigarettes as well as taking £150 from the till.

"I couldn't believe what had happened, I think I was more angry than scared. We are just trying to make a living here and they came along and tried to destroy it."   

"I'm more angry at the people who ripped me off on the window, what kind of people pray on riot victims."

Three months after the nightmare, Sutton Council compensated Mr Raj £11,000.