Two men deny plotting arson attacks on properties tied to Sir Keir Starmer
Two of the fires took place in Kentish Town, north London in May
Two men have pleaded not guilty to plotting a series of arson attacks on property linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
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Ukrainians Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and Petro Pochynok, 35, are accused of targeting two properties and a car along with a third defendant, Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27.
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.
On Friday, the defendants appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink from Belmarsh prison before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.
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Lavrynovych and Pochynok pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life between April 1 and May 13.
The charge alleges that the defendants “together with others” conspired to damage by fire property “belonging to another and intending to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to the life of another would thereby be endangered”.
Carpiuc was not asked to entered his plea to the same charge.
The prosecution indicated that the case was not being treated as having a terrorist connection.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said the circumstances of the alleged offences were “somewhat opaque”, adding: “Plainly they are co-ordinated and must have some motive or purpose behind them.”
The three defendants were remanded in custody.
A provisional trial has already been set for April 27 next year in front of a High Court judge.
A further hearing in the case will take place on November 28.
Lavrynovych, of Lewisham, south-east London, Carpiuc, from Romford, east London, and Pochynok, of Islington, north London, were assisted by interpreters in court.