Second man charged over fires at properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer

A second man has been charged with arson over fires at properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer.

Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 26, from Romford, east London, is accused of arson with intent to endanger life, the Metropolitan Police said.

He is accused of conspiring with Ukrainian Roman Lavrynovych, who appeared in court last week, and others unknown “to damage by fire property belonging to another, intending to damage the property, intending to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would thereby be endangered”.

Carpiuc was arrested at Luton Airport on Saturday.

Arson

Two of the fires took place in Kentish Town, north London – one in the early hours of May 12 at the home where Sir Keir lived before he became Prime Minister and moved into Downing Street.

A car was set alight in the same street four days earlier on May 8.

The other fire was on May 11 at the front door of a house converted into flats in Islington.

Lavrynovych, 21, of Sydenham, south-east London, has already been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life in connection with the fires.

He denied the charges in a police interview.

He appeared in court on Friday and was remanded in custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey scheduled for June 6.

A third man, aged 34, was arrested in Chelsea, south-west London, on Monday on suspicion of arson.

He remains in custody