Third man charged over arson attacks on properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer

A Ukrainian national has become the third man to be charged over arson attacks at properties and a car linked to Sir Keir Starmer.

The Metropolitan Police said Petro Pochynok, 34, has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning.

Pochynok has been accused of conspiring with fellow Ukrainian Roman Lavrynovych and Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, who have both also been charged over the incident.

Incident

He was arrested on Monday in the Chelsea area of west London.

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 took place 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.

Custody

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.

Carpiuc appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody to appear alongside Lavrynovych on the same date.