Two men found guilty over Starmer-linked arson attacks

Two men have been found guilty of conspiring to carry out arson attacks on property and a car connected to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, were convicted by an Old Bailey jury. In May 2025, a Toyota once owned by Sir Keir was set alight in a street in north London. Days later two homes were set ablaze, including one rented out to the prime minister's sister-in-law, which he still owned. The prosecution told the court Lavrynovych carried out the arson attacks after being recruited online by Russian-speaking Telegram user "El Money" who promised him payment. Lavrynovych was acquitted of damaging property by fire with intent to endanger life on 11 and 12 May 2025 at two properties in north London. He was convicted of alternate counts of damaging property by fire being reckless as to whether life was endangered. A third man, Petro Pochynok, 35, was found not guilty of conspiracy to commit arson. All three, who live in London, had denied conspiring together and "with others" to damage property by fire between 1 April and 13 May 2025. On 8 May 2025, a car previously owned by the prime m