Almost £400,000 in compensation claimed after summer riots in Cleveland Police area

A police car burns as officers are deployed on the streets of Hartlepool following a violent protest.
Cars were set alight and police attacked during the unrest on Teesside this summer. Credit: PA

Almost £400,000 in compensation is being claimed in the Cleveland Police area following riots in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough over the summer.

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey told a meeting that 39 claims have been received so far for damage caused to businesses, cars and homes during riots in Middlesbrough and Hartlepool, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted to Mr Storey’s office by the BBC revealed the claims add up to £394,000.

The BBC compiled FOI data from Cleveland, Derbyshire, Durham, Greater Manchester, Humberside, Merseyside and Staffordshire.

Only Merseyside had a higher figure being claimed – £799,000 arising from 30 claims lodged.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners said it was aware of 88 claims in all, worth about £1.9m, although both figures are expected to rise.

Hundreds of thousands pounds of damage was caused during the disorder. Credit: PA

Rioters threw objects at police in Hartlepool during unrest on 31 July and, four days later, property was vandalised n Middlesbrough with cars and bins set alight.

The riots on Teesside followed the stabbing of three girls in Southport, Lancashire on 29 July when misinformation about the identity of the assailant was spread online.

Under the the Riot Compensation Act people can claim if they were not adequately covered by insurance for damage, destruction or theft resulting from a riot.

Insurers are also able to make claims for reimbursement after paying out on insurance policies that cover riot damage.

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, Matt Storey, told a meeting that 39 claims have been received for damage caused in the force area. Credit: Office of the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner

According to the Home Office successful claims paid under the Act are paid from budgets allocated to police commissioners, or in some instances regional mayors.

Matt Storey has previously said that claims, which have to be evidenced, were being assessed and processed with nothing yet paid out.

He has also stressed how continued engagement work has been taking place in communities affected by the disorder in a bid to repair not just physical damage, but emotional damage felt by victims.

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