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By Eddie Wrenn

Last updated at 3:19 PM on 22nd February 2012

One of the defining moments of last year's riots in London was the destruction of family furniture store House of Reeves.

Today, a man appeared in court accused of starting the fire that destroyed the 145-year-old building during the riots last year.

Gordon Thompson, 33, is charged with setting a sofa alight at House of Reeves in Croydon, south London, and causing a blaze so fierce that buildings on the opposite side of the road caught fire.

Heritage destroyed: Fire crews battled desperately to save the House of Reeves, but were unable to rescue the 140-year-old building

Lives at risk: One young woman was forced to jump from a burning building near to the Reeves blaze

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow told jurors at the Old Bailey that Thompson watched as others smashed the window of Reeves and was one of the first into the building.

He allegedly stole a laptop from the shop, and as he left asked around for a lighter.

Mr 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. 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.'

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 August 8 last year.

The court heard that Thompson, of Waddon Road, Croydon, 'ran riot through the streets' that day, and a man who took a photo of him stealing bottles from Iceland feared he would be attacked.

He pretended to congratulate him for what he was doing to placate Thompson, jurors were told.

The blaze quickly spread to other properties surrounding Reeves

Mr Glasgow told the court: '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.

'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.'

Reeves had stood at the site for 145 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.

'The defendant is one of those rioters.'

Thompson denies he had anything to do with the break-in at House of Reeves, the court heard.

Mr Glasgow told jurors: 'He claims he only placed his foot just inside the broken window and that he was acting as a law-abiding citizen, trying to stop the looting and determined to bring the shocking behaviour of others to a close.

'Whether there is any truth whatsoever in his claims will be for you to judge. But once you have seen the video evidence you may wonder quite how the defendant can square his account with what he was caught on film doing.'

Two journalists first spotted Thompson as he emerged from the Iceland store carrying looted bottles and a black box at around 6.15pm, where he was caught on camera. One was also present to witness the blaze at the furniture store.

Riot police in Hackney: the blaze was a focal point for the riots, which spread across London, including Tottenham and Peckham

Mr Glasgow added: 'The fire was well underway by the time he arrived.

'The heat was so intense and it was raining ash. He attempted to bring the fire to the attention of the residents of the nearby block of flats and the police.

'Having done so he helped move bags of towels from inside the store to underneath the windows of the flats in case any residents needed to jump to safety.

'He was present when one woman climbed out of a window and jumped into the arms of a police officer.'

Around an hour later in nearby Tamworth Road, Thompson was seen pouring petrol into the street before attempting to set light to it, the court heard.

Bus driver Flint Agyekum, who was at the wheel of the 157 Croydon to Morden service, watched in horror as he tried to allow his passengers to disembark and take his vehicle away from the disorder, jurors were told.

The bus was parked up in a side street, but was later destroyed by fire, though Thompson is not alleged to have had any part in this.

Later, jurors were shown CCTV footage of the raid at House of Fraser in which Thompson was involved.

'The footage of this is truly shocking,' said Mr Glasgow.

'There mere idea that a mob could descend upon a shopping centre in broad daylight, force their way inside, terrify the security staff and leave with armfuls of stolen goods is astonishing.

'The reality is even more incredible. The mob was able to run through the centre, vandalising and looting at will with everyone, including police at first, powerless to stop them.'

Thompson can be seen watching from the other side of Tamworth Road as a group of masked men throw objects at the entrance to the Centrale centre and attempt to kick the glass from its frame.

He then enters the centre and emerges five minutes later, carrying armfuls of stolen goods.

'Precisely what he took will never be known,' said Mr Glasgow. 'But none of it was in his arms when he went into Centrale.'

At one point, Thompson can be seen 'waving and inviting' others to join in the looting before 'sauntering off' down the road as others laugh and celebrate, he added.

'People have so much they cannot even keep hold of it as they run across the road,' said the prosecutor.

The trial continues.