Second man charged over fires at homes linked to PM

A second man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged in relation to suspected arson at two properties and to a car linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Metropolitan Police has said.

Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 26, from Romford, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life following the fires in north London.

He was arrested on 17 May at London's Luton Airport and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning.

The charges relate to three incidents - a vehicle fire in Kentish Town, north London, a fire at the prime minister's private home on the same street and a fire at an address that he previously lived in Islington, north London.

The prosecution said the motive for the alleged offending was as yet "unexplained."

Mr Carpiuc is accused of conspiring with Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and others to "damage by fire property belonging to another, intending to damage the property, intending to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would thereby be endangered", the Met said.

Mr Lavrynovych, of Sydenham, appeared in court on Friday charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life. He denied the charges in a police interview.

The chief magistrate, District Judge Paul Goldspring, remanded Mr Stanislav in custody until 6 June when he will appear alongside Mr Lavrynovych at the Old Bailey.

Mr Carpiuc, who was born in Ukraine but has Romanian nationality, used a Russian language interpreter in court.

He works in construction, is an aspiring actor and model, and has recently finished a business degree at Christchurch University, Canterbury. He lives in Chadwell Heath, Romford and has been in the UK for nine years.

Mr Lavrynovych is also a builder and an aspiring model.

A third man, aged 34, was arrested on Monday in the Chelsea area on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. He has not been named by police.

On Thursday 8 May, a car that Sir Keir sold to a neighbour last year caught fire. The fire took place on the Kentish Town street where the prime minister lived before moving to Downing Street.

In the early hours of Sunday 11 May, firefighters dealt with a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington - a property the prime minister lived at during the 1990s.

One person had to be rescued by firefighters who were using breathing apparatus.

The following day, in the early hours of Monday 12 May, police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade to reports of a fire at Sir Keir's private home.

Damage was caused to the property's entrance but nobody was hurt. The BBC understands the property is rented to the prime minister's sister-in-law.