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A third man has been charged in connection with arson attacks on properties linked to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday that Petro Pochynok, a 34-year-old Ukrainian national, had been charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.
Charges were brought on Tuesday against Stanislav Carpiuc, a 26-year-old Romanian national born in Ukraine, and last week against Roman Lavrynovych, a 21-year-old Ukrainian. The Met said Pochynok had conspired with the other two.
The charges relate to three blazes, including one at Starmer’s family home in Kentish Town, and another involving a vehicle previously owned by the prime minister on the same street. A third fire was at a property in Islington that is also connected to Starmer.
Carpiuc, who was the second suspect to be arrested and charged, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. He was denied bail, despite his lawyer’s request for release with conditions, and has been remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at London’s Old Bailey on June 6.
Lavrynovych, the first to be arrested and charged, has also been remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at the Old Bailey on June 6. His legal team did not request bail at his hearing on Friday.
Prosecutor Sarah Przybylska told the court on Friday and Tuesday that Lavrynovych’s and Carpiuc’s alleged offending was currently “unexplained”. The investigation has been led by counterterrorism police due to the properties being linked to Starmer.
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