Romanian charged over arson attacks on properties connected to British prime minister

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.

The Romanian was arrested on May 17 at London's Luton Airport and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. He is the second man charged in relation to suspected arson at two properties and a car linked to Sir Keir Starmer, the Metropolitan Police has said, cited by the BBC.

The charges Carpiuc faces relate to three incidents, namely 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 at in north-west London. He is accused of conspiring with 21-year-old Ukrainian citizen Roman Lavrynovych and others.

Lavrynovych appeared in court on Friday, May 16, charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life. He denied the charges in a police interview. He was remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey on June 6.

A third man, aged 34, was arrested on Monday, May 19, in the Chelsea area on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.

On Thursday 8 May, a car that Sir Keir sold to a neighbor last year caught fire. The fire took place on the Kentish Town street where the prime minister lived before moving to Downing Street. Days later, firefighters dealt with a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington, which is also linked to the prime minister.

The following day, in the early hours of Monday morning on 12 May, police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade to reports of a fire at Sir Keir's former home. Damage was caused to the property's entrance but nobody was hurt. The property is rented to the prime minister's sister-in-law.

Last week, Starmer gave a highly anticipated political speech on his immigration policy, promising to reduce net migration by the end of this parliamentary session through a “controlled, selective, and fair” system, to placate the growing popularity of right-wing party Reform UK.

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