A Ukrainian citizen charged with having caused fires at properties linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been remanded in custody as he appeared in court on Friday.
Roman Lavrynovych, 21, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a spate of fires across north London, including the home in the Kentish Town area where Starmer lived with his family before becoming prime minister.
Lavrynovych appeared at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, speaking only to confirm his name, age and address, before being remanded in custody.
The Ukrainian “has been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life”, a statement from London’s Metropolitan Police said.
Those related to a car fire on May 8 in Kentish Town, a blaze on Sunday in front of the entrance of a property in the nearby Islington neighbourhood and the fire at Starmer’s home in the night from Sunday to Monday, the prosecutor’s office said in a separate statement.
Starmer is still the owner of the Kentish Town house, where he lived until he moved into the prime minister’s official residence at 10 Downing Street in July 2024, according to the British press.
The British media have also drawn links between Starmer and the Islington property, a house converted into flats.
“Due to the property having previous connections with a high-profile public figure, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command have led the investigation into the fires,” the police statement said.
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