Two Men Jailed for Arson Attacks on Starmer-Linked Properties

Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 22, received a seven-year term. Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, was sentenced to two years at the Old Bailey.

A Toyota car previously owned by the prime minister was set on fire on a street in Kentish Town on 8 May 2025. A fire was discovered two days later at flats in nearby Islington that had been linked to Starmer. The following day, a fire broke out at the entrance to a Kentish Town home still owned by Starmer and rented to his sister-in-law.

She described billowing black smoke rising through the stairs while she and her family were inside.

" Carpiuc played a "supporting role" in the "utterly reckless" attacks, the judge said. Lavrynovych and Carpiuc were convicted on Monday of conspiring to damage property by fire between 1 April and 13 May 2025. Lavrynovych was also found guilty of damaging property by fire while reckless as to whether life was endangered.

" A third man, Petro Pochynok, 35, was acquitted of the conspiracy charge.

Lavrynovych was recruited through a Russian-speaking Telegram user identified only as "EL," who promised payment. After the fires, the contact instructed him to discard his clothes and leave the city, but police arrested him hours later. Carpiuc was detained at Luton Airport on 17 May while attempting to board a flight to Romania.

His defense said he acted only as "the money man" to help a friend whose father needed medical treatment. Lavrynovych told police he had no idea who the prime minister was. His lawyer described him as a "complete and utter foot soldier" who felt shame for the harm caused to his family in Ukraine.