Russia-linked Ukrainian Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Romanian Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, were convicted for plotting to damage the PM’s property after a trial at the Old Bailey
Keir Starmer has said “justice” has been served for his family after two men were found guilty over arson attacks at their properties(Image: Carlos Jasso/PA Wire)
Keir Starmer has said “justice” has been served for his family after two men were found guilty over arson attacks at their properties.
Russia-linked Ukrainian Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Romanian Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, were convicted for plotting to damage property on Monday.The pair were stooges for a shadowy Russian-speaking taskmaster known as El Money.
Last May, a Toyota Rav4 which was once owned by Mr Starmer was set alight in a street in Kentish Town, north London. Days later, two houses were set ablaze, including a north London home occupied by the PM’s sister-in-law and her family which he still owns.
Asked how he feels about his family being targeted in this violent way by the Russian state, Mr Starmer told reporters at the G7: “Well, obviously it was a bad attack, and all the details have now come out in court and justice has been done, so I’m pleased in that respect, particularly for my family who were affected by it.
“I think it has to be seen in its broader context. Here we are in the G7. We’ve just had the Ukraine session and actually there was real unity in the room, in the G7, about the fact that Ukraine is doing better now, regaining territory, that the sanctions are having a real impact on Russia and a real sense that now is the moment for all of us as a G7 to ramp up the pressure and obviously, you’ll have seen this morning we put on even further sanctions in relation to Russia.
“So I see this all in its context. But justice has now been done, and I’m very pleased for my family.”
Mr Starmer announced 70 new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday morning in a bid to show UK strength against tyrant Vladimir Putin. The package will tackle Russia’s “ghost” shadow fleet, military supply chains and illicit finance networks to disrupt the Kremlin war machine.
The attacks were orchestrated by El Money over the Telegram messaging service. El Money offered Lavrynovych £3,000 in cryptocurrency if the blazes were filmed and got on the news. The attacks in the middle of the night while people were in bed asleep posed a serious threat to life and left householders terrified, the Old Bailey heard.
Following a trial, Lavrynovych was also yesterday convicted of damaging two properties by fire being reckless as to whether life was endangered on May 11 and 12 last year. A third defendant, Ukrainian Petro Pochynok, 35, was cleared of conspiracy to commit arson.
Mr Justice Garnham remanded the defendants into custody to be sentenced on Friday Following the convictions, Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said there was nothing to indicate El Money was a “state threat”.
However, the motivation behind the attacks had been to “cause concern” and “disruption” in the community within the UK and “fear” for the Prime Minister, she said. She said “I think the intentions of the defendants was clearly to take payment, and to carry out a crime for money.
“There was no ideological motivation around that, and there’s no evidence to suggest that they knew who they were targeting, and that that was the Prime Minister or properties linked to the Prime Minister.”
A Government spokesperson said: “This was an abhorrent attack and those responsible have now been brought to justice for their acts. We thank our partners in law enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service for bringing these criminals to justice.”
