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

A second man has been charged in connection with a series of fires linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc is accused of arson with intent to endanger life, the Metropolitan Police said.

He has been charged with conspiring together with Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and others unknown to damage by fire property belonging to another, intending to damage the property, and intending to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would thereby be endangered.

The 26-year-old, from Romford, east London, was arrested at London Luton Airport on Saturday and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning.

The charge relates to three fires.

Two of the fires took place in Kentish Town, north London. One occurred during the early hours of 12 May 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 8 May.

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

Following Carpiuc’s arrest by counter-terrorism officers, he was held in police custody after a warrant of further detention was obtained.

Lavrynovych, a Ukrainian national from Sydenham in southeast 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.

Lavrynovych appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday and was remanded in custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey scheduled for 6 June.

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

He remains in custody, the Metropolitan Police said.